The Dark Artifices: Lady of Los Angeles
by IAmStolt
Summary: What happens after the events in Heavenly Fire? The story takes place five years later in Los Angeles where Emma is fighting for vengeance and is being torn between rules and wantings. But after all, rules are made for breaking...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Emma knew what she'd see as soon as she entered the training room. She could feel it. She could even consider herself a psychic by now. Every day she'd see the same thing; Cristina and Jules holding hands and laughing, together.

Why couldn't he see that him and her, Jules and Emma, were meant to be together? Maybe because they already were, together. Together as parabatai. Closer than brother and sister, but that wasn't what she wanted to be. She wanted to hold his hand. She'd wanted it ever since they'd become parabatai four years ago.

Already outside the door she could hear the sound of Jules' deeper, although still boyish, voice along with Cristina's sweet and flirty.

She threw the door open. There they sat on a bench talking and flirting with each other. Cristina held one of Jules' hands in hers. Inspecting the fingers one by one. Emma knew what she'd find; layer after layer of paint. Because that's what Jules liked, painting. Emma knew every little thing about him.

They looked up then. Jules hair was dark and messy as always. Helen was no longer here to cut it or comb it. Emma had taken the duty to do it herself until Cristina had come along, a few months ago. If Cristina spent so much time with Jules she could do it herself. Apparently she didn't. Apparently she liked it messy. Although she doubted it. Cristina's own hair was gorgeous as always. Straight, black, controlled unlike Emma's own hair. She always got frustrated with her own long, blond, mockingly curly hair. It made her wear it in a braid.

"Emma!" Jules exclaimed. He looked truly happy to see her. She couldn't help but smile at him. She forgot her jealousy. He came running for her and embraced her. She resisted the urge to smell his hair.

"Why so surprised?" she asked him. They let go of each other.

"You've seemed so down this past week and after yesterday–"

Right, yesterday. She'd watched their flirting for hour, for days. Yesterday she hadn't been in the mood for another day and had rushed off. But she came back today, she always came back.

"I'll always train with you," she said and looked over his shoulder and at Cristina. She was checking her phone. Maybe that Facebook-thing she'd tried to teach Jules about. Emma had never been interested in the mundane networks. She found them rather boring. Too flat. She wanted to move.

"Well, I'm glad you came," he said and laid an arm around her shoulders.

"Me too."

They started where yesterday's training ended. They were sparring and she barely noticed Cristina in the corner of her eye.

Until it was her time to train. But today she didn't ask to train with Jules.

"I wanna train with Emma," she said to him. Emma stopped in her walk away from them and turned around.

"What?" she asked.

Cristina strode over to her. She smiled at her and laid an arm around her shoulders as Jules had done before. "I wanna train with you. Jules, you can leave."

He did as he was told. Nobody dared to argue with her.

Emma made herself ready to spar again.

"No sparring. Swords," Cristina said and took a sword hanging from the wall.

Emma took her Cortana. She never wanted to use another sword. It was a Cartairs sword and it was given to her by her deceased father.

They stood facing each other. Both in fighting position, eyeing their opponent.

Emma stroke out first. Cristina parried, but from then on they fought like they had no other choice.

Emma could feel sweat rolling down her forehead. She let down her guard for just a moment and Cristina cut her right arm. Over her old scar from when she'd hugged Cortana years ago.

They stood still. Emma could feel her anger well up inside of her.

"You cut me!" she shouted.

"You let down your guard," Cristina calmly explained.

"You cut me!"

"Actually, I did you a favor. Now you don't have to be so damn self-conscious about that scar of yours. Now you got it in a battle."

Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Battle? We are training."

Cristina shook her head disapprovingly. "This was a battle about Jules."

"What?"

"I know how you feel about him, Emma."

"He's my parabatai."

"Exactly." She took her phone and bag from the bench and left.

Emma was left alone, shocked. She bandaged her arm and walked out. Would Cristina tell anybody? How could she have been so stupid? She should have hidden her feelings better. Nothing good could come out of it anyways.

She ran to her room and locked the door. Didn't even stop to switch on the lights in the room. She plunged onto the bed, face down. Tears wet the sheets.

How could she have been so stupid? she thought over and over again.

She forced herself to sit up and stop crying after she didn't know how long. When she did so she felt a hard surface under the sheets. She reached for it and found a folder.

Cordelia &amp; John Carstairs. It was the file she'd stolen so many years ago. Once again she opened it. The strange marks on her parents bodies covered her vision and mind. She'd looked at the photos at least once a month these last years. It'd been five years since they'd died now. Still she knew it was her responsibility to seek justice.

She set down at her desk and opened a notebook she'd filled with theories over the years. Now was the time for justice.

She was so caught up in her investigation she barely heard the knock on the door hours later.

"Em?" she heard Jules' voice say.

She got up and unlocked the door for him. He opened it and had to squint in the dark room to see anything. She sat down on the chair again.

"Why so dark?" He switched on the lights and now Emma had to squint at the light.

"What do you want?" she asked slightly annoyed somebody came to interrupt her work.

"And why so testy?"

She looked up at him. "I'm working."

He crouched beside the desk and looked at her papers. "With what?"

She tried to reason with herself whether she should tell him or not. He was after all her parabatai.

"With my parents death."

He got a pained expression. "Em. . ."

She wrinkled her nose. "Don't 'Em' me. There was something strange about their death and I know it."

She gave him the folder. He eyed through it and creased his eyebrows as he did so.

"Okay, so it's a bit strange–".

"A bit? There is something strange and I'm out for–".

"Vengeance?" he finished for her.

"Yes, vengeance. Don't give me that look. If they'd been your parents–". He flinched and she caught herself. He turned away his face. "Oh, Jules, I am so, so sorry." She stroked his cheek in a soothing motion.

"I know who killed my parents, Emma. My mother died in childbirth. My father." He stopped to look at her and now she prayed he'd looked away so she didn't need to see" " the guilt in his eyes. "I killed my father, Em."

"You had no other choice, Jules."

"That's not the point. The point is, it won't help you to know who killed your parents. It will only hurt you more."

"Please, Jules, let me do this," she pleaded, why she didn't know. She shouldn't need to ask him, but it'd be easier if her parabatai approved.

He stood up and opened the door to leave, but turned before he closed it and said, "I won't stop you from doing anything, as long as you don't stop me from going with you."

So this is my first fanfic I hope you'll like it and please leave reviews. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Later somebody knocked on the door again. She sighed and called out, "Come in!"

"Well, hello there, eremite", a sweet voice said.

She looked up and saw Cristina. Her hair tied up in a ponytail.

"Why are you here?" she muttered.

"Jules told me not to bother you."

Emma raised her eyebrows. "And you decided to ignore him?"

Cristina shrugged. "Pretty much. Yeah." She sat down on Emma's bed and she suddenly became very much aware of her heart-pattered beddings.

"Did you come for anything else, other than bothering me?"

"I came to say," she inhaled as if she was to tell her something that pained her, "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"For cutting you."

"A good thing you're a bad fencer", she muttered.

Cristina stuck out her tongue, but then put on a serious face. "When I came here, three months ago, I was kinda happy that there was another girl my age here. I thought we'd be friends."

Emma had thought so too. She had talked to her, but got jealous instantly when Cristina started talking with Jules. From then on she'd pushed her away.

"I thought so too."

"Then why aren't we?" Cristina asked and leaned back on her elbows.

"I don't know."

"You know that thing I said about Jules before, don't worry, I know you wouldn't break the rules that way." What was it she was saying? She didn't know how she felt about Jules. She could feel her heart jump of happiness. Still, she thought about what she'd said, "you wouldn't break the rules that way"? Wasn't she the one who always bended the roles or, rather, broke them entirely?

"Yeah, I know he's my _parabatai_. Don't worry."

"So you have no feelings for him?"

"As a _parabatai_, yes. Romantically, no." Lie.

"Good because we are getting kinda serious."

"Wouldn't bother me." Big lie.

"Great." Cristina got up from the bed and walked over to the desk. "What are these marks?" She picked up one of the photos.

"Put it down! Don't touch them", Emma said and waved away her hands.

"Okay, okay. Anyways, I also came to ask you if you wanted to go out with me and Jules for a cup of coffee."

For a chance to see them flirting and kissing from the other side of a table? "I think I'll pass. Maybe next time."

"Okay, bye then."

When she started to get more and more frustrated over the pictures on her desk she decided it was time to stop. She had to get out. Not to get coffee with Jules and Cristina, just out.

She put on her black leather jacket and took the shortest way out of the Institute.

It was sunny outside. Typical Los Angeles weather.

She stuck her hands in her pockets and walked out of the gates, without any glamour. She always got so self-conscious without it. People saw her and she was afraid she didn't act like them. After all, she wasn't from their world.

She passed a coffee shop with the green sign _Starbucks_ above the entrance. There were people drinking coffee inside so she assumed she could get some too.

The sound of a radio filled the room. It smelled of the bittersweet drink and the perfume from the girls, all covered with makeup. She was probably the only girl without any there.

She got in line and looked down on the floor while she waited.

When it was almost her turn she looked up again and squared her shoulders to look as confident as possible. That failed when she accidentally bumped into the person before her who'd got his coffee right then. The drink splashed over both him and her. He got a dark expression over his face.

"You blonde idiot! Watch it!" he screamed which caught the whole room's attention.

Now she felt her anger well up again. Nobody called her a blonde idiot.

"Sorry, for taking some of your coffee, but I couldn't imagine you wanted it all for yourself. Here you can take it back," she said and wiped off what had come on her sleeve and onto his shirt.

She passed him to come to the counter. "A cappuccino, please." The stunned cashier did as she said without commenting.

"That'd be 2.99 dollars", she mumbled as she came back with her order.

Emma handed her the mundane money she always kept in that jacket and took her coffee. She sat down at a table by the window.

She heard a chair scrape against the floor as it was pulled out at her table and turned her head at the sound.

A tall, dark haired guy sat down opposite to her. His arms were muscular as the shadowhunters'. She guessed he was about 18.

"Hi, I'm Dylan. Nice show over there", he said and nodded toward the counter.

"He called me a blonde idiot," she said and took a sip of her coffee. Who was this guy?

"Then it's his own fault. So, what's your name?"

She hesitated and bit her lip. Seriously, who was this guy? She rarely talked to mundanes and now one came to voluntary make conversation with her? "Emma."

"Nice to meet you, Emma," he said and grinned. "Are you going to high school here?"

"Kind of."

"So you're like 18?" he asked. She saw something in his eyes as if he hoped her answer would be yes.

"Something like that, yes." She was seventeen, but close enough. "Why?"

"Need to know if I can risk to ask you out without any angry parents." Problem solved, she had no parents. But she skipped that part.

She smiled at him. He was actually flirting with her. "No need to worry. So, same question back to you."

"I'm 20."

Okay, only like three years older than her and a mundane. Perfect, but there was something about him that charmed her. Was it the hair? The dark messy hair, so much like Jules'. Or the grin his lips seemed to be so comfortable to wear.

"Aren't you gonna ask me about my number?" she asked. Oh, she had read so many books and experienced so little. That was a typical teenage novel line.

"You read my mind."

She scribbled down her number on a napkin. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Dylan", she said and smiled at him, "but I gotta go now. Call me."

"I will."

She got back to the Institute with a smile on her lips. When she opened the door she was met up by the greeting of Octavian.

"Uncle Arthur wondered where you were", he said. "Jules said you weren't coming with him and Cristina."

He was the youngest in the Blackthorn family. Only nine years. He had the typical Blackthorn brown hair and blue-green eyes.

"I went out for a walk", Emma answered.

"Tavvy!" they could hear Drusilla, their older sister call out. She got to entrance hall. "Hey, Emma. Dinner's ready, we've been looking for you."

Drusilla was the curvier sibling and the shortest. She was the only one with freckles too.

"Are Jules and Cristina home?"

"Yeah, they're waiting too."

The whole family was waiting in the dining hall. Arthur Blackthorn, Ty, Livvy, Jules, Cristina and now the three of them.

Jules rose as they entered. "Emma, I thought you'd left." He came to hug her.

"I did leave. To get coffee", she said. But by the look from his eyes she knew what he meant. _To seek for her parents' killers._

_I told you to wait for me._

"Come, sit next to me", he said and dragged her along by the wrist.

The family sat down and started eating. Jules was still holding her wrist. He'd started drawing letters on it with his fingertips.

W-H-E-R-E W-E-R-E Y-O-U?

T-O-L-D Y-O-U. C-O-F-F-E-E.

Y-O-U W-O-N-'-T G-O W-I-T-H-O-U-T M-E?

N-O.

He held up his pinkie finger and raised an eyebrow.

"Pinkie swear", she whispered and hooked her finger around his.


	3. Chapter 3

She spent the next two nights at the Institute's library searching for any past records of marks like the ones on her parents. A lonely candle stood next to her at the desk lightning up her face.

The second night her _parabatai_ joined her.

"You look like an angel."

She looked up and saw him standing by the door.

"In that light you look", he hesitated, "like an angel."

She smiled at him. "Thanks."

"I don't mean you're not normally beautiful." He was rambling.

"Jules", she said and looked into his eyes, "thanks. Now are you gonna help me?"

She'd told him earlier she'd be there tonight. It was his choice whether he'd come or not. "Of course. Why else would I be here?" he asked and smirked.

Emma rolled her eyes. "To talk me out of it."

"I know you'd never listen to me. Now, what do you need me for?"

She stood up to get some books.

With a thump the books landed on the desk. "Look through these and try to find those marks or anything else you find interesting."

He sat down opposite from her. They were quiet and she only stopped her work to look up at her _parabatai_ once in awhile.

He'd told her she looked beautiful. Okay, he did tell people compliments a lot, but didn't hers mean more?

She startled when he started giggling.

"What?" she asked sleepily. It was well pass 1 am and the caffeine from earlier didn't stand a chance by now.

"I'm so very tired and this guy looks really funny", he mumbled and pointed at a man with a big mustache and small nose.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed." But his head had already fallen down on the desk. A light snoring came from his half-open mouth.

When they were younger she would have carried him to the library's sofa, but he'd gotten more muscles and the few inches that had separated them before seemed pointless in their length difference now.

Instead she brought him a blanket from the sofa to protect him from the library's nightly cold.

"Ems", she could hear him whisper. She crouched down next to him to be the same length.

"Yeah, Jules?"

His eyelids flickered, but he didn't open them. "I miss you."

"I'm here."

But he'd already fallen asleep again.

She'd fallen asleep on the floor next to where Jules had been snoring in his chair.

"Ems, have you been sleeping there all night?" he asked when she groggily rubbed her eyes.

He sat up in his chair and the blanket she'd given him now lied over her own shoulders.

"I must have fallen asleep."

"On the floor?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You talked to me and I sat down here to hear what you said… and I must have fallen asleep."

"What did I say?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing." She ran her fingers through her hair in a weak attempt to tame her messy curls.

He sat down next to her and took one of her hands, fiddling with her fingers. "Tell me."

She sighed. "You told me you miss me."

He was quiet for a moment than his fingers moved over to her wrist.

I D-O.

I A-M H-E-R-E.

He looked up to her eyes. "But not with me. Not mentally. You've built a wall, Ems."

She knew he was right. She'd gotten so jealous. "Sorry."

"Don't say you're sorry. I only want you to break down that wall."

"I will."

In the next moment her phone beeped.

She picked it up and checked the screen.

Let's skip the coffee this time and go somewhere. Anywhere you'd like. – Dylan

She smiled to herself. It was nice having somebody on the outside even though they'd only met once.

Jules tried to read the message, but she covered the screen. "Who is it?"

"A friend", she answered.

"What's her name?"

"_His_ name is Dylan."

"It's a _guy_?" he practically shouted.

"You're meant to be quiet in libraries", she said and winked at him, but he ignored her.

"What institute is he from?"

"He's a mundane", she whispered, knowing what his reaction would be.

He jumped up and towered above her. "A mundane. You cannot date a mundane, Emma!"

She stood up and pushed him lightly. "You can't tell me what to do."

He swirled around frustratedly and burst out of the room.

She answered the text.

Got a car?

Yep.

Better pick me up in two hours then ;)

She texted him the street name of the Institute.

Next problem was what to wear. It had been a long time since she'd gone on a date. She'd been on a few and none had turned into something serious. In the end she'd simply given up and turned down those who'd asked her out.

The only difference between those guys and Dylan, Dylan was not a shadowhunter. Maybe she could give him a chance.

She stood outside Cristina's door and tried to encourage herself to knock. If there was somebody in the Institute who knew what to wear to date it was she.

When she'd stood there about five minutes she could hear Cristina's voice from inside her room. "Are you gonna come in or what?"

Emma opened the door slightly. "Hello."

Cristina sat in her bed texting on her phone. "Hey, what's up?"

She got into the room and closed the door carefully behind her. "I need your help."

Cristina looked up from her phone. A shocked expression played on her face. "What?"

"I'm kinda going out with someone and I need to know what to wear."

The girl smirked and jumped up from her bed. "Little Em's got a date!"

She pouted her lips and crossed her arms. "I'm not."

"Sure", Cristina said and winked at her. Emma rolled her eyes. "Okay, what do you wanna look like?"

"Like me, I guess", she said and shrugged.

"Hm, let's see about that. Wait here." She went to her closet and picked out a few clothes. She tossed them down on her bed.

"How much clothes do you have?"

"Mostly basic clothes. Now, try it on." Cristina handed her a red dress.

Emma went into the bathroom and changed. She came out with a short strapless dress that only reached her mid-thigh.

"No way", she simply said.

"It could work—"

"No way."

"Okay. Next!"

They did that for a while. She tried on a few similar dresses, short skirts and transparent shirts. After an hour Cristina finally gave up on the not-so-Emma clothes.

"Okay, try this on", she sighed and gave her a set of clothes.

She went into the bathroom once again and this time she came out with high-waisted shorts and a loose tank top with a band print on it. It wasn't showing too much and she could say that she liked it.

"I like this."

Cristina exhaled. "Finally! Now it's just shoes and makeup left."

Emma felt like she was gonna faint.

After another forty minutes she wore black high hells – she hadn't managed to talk her way out of them – and only a faint hint of lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara plus a few things on her cheeks Cristina had insisted on to be necessary.

"You're ready, Ems."

Cristina followed her out of the Institute. A car was already waiting by the sidewalk. It was silver colored and seemed relatively new.

"Maybe he's got money", Cristina whispered behind her. Emma had told her he was a mundane and Cristina had accepted it. She'd said she'd used to date one and they had pretty serious.

"Hush, I'm nervous as it is", Emma whispered back.

Cristina hugged her quickly and wished her good luck before she went inside again.

She knocked on the passenger window. Dylan startled, but smiled when he saw her. He reached over the passenger seat and opened the door for her.

"Hey, Emma!"

"Hello, Dylan", she said and smiled.

"Any special wishes for today?" he asked as he pulled out from the sidewalk.

"Not really."

"What about we go to a park and then we'll see where we go from there?"

She smiled again. As soon as she'd seen him she'd felt relaxed. "Sure."


	4. Chapter 4

He parked outside a small park in the outline of Los Angeles. He went to her side and opened the door for her.

"Thank you."

"Wanna go for a walk?" He grinned and held out a hand for her.

"Oh, I certainly do." She took his hand and before she knew it they were walking in the park, hand-in-hand.

She'd insisted that this was not a date, but she'd started doubting.

There was a café in the park where they ordered a cupcake each, but stayed away from the coffee and got sodas instead.

"So, where do you go to school?" Dylan asked.

"I'm homeschooled."

"Oh, kinda lonely isn't it?"

You have no idea. "Yeah, sometimes."

They finished their cupcakes and sodas and Dylan payed for both of them.

"You really don't need to pay", she said.

"You rarely go on dates , do you?"

She froze at the mention of a date. He'd actually confirmed it.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Um, we're on a date?"

His face turned stern. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean—", he rambled and ran a hand through his dark hair.

She interlaced her fingers in his other hand. "It's okay, Dylan. If you want this to be a date _I _am more than okay with it."

He went around the table and helped her up. They stood there opposite each other. Emma was tall, but he was taller. He had to lean down so they touched each other's foreheads.

"I want this to be a date", he said and kissed her. She locked her hands around his neck to get him closer. He held his own hands on her hips.

They pulled away to catch their breaths.

"Wow", was all she could say.

"Wow", he repeated.

They stood there until they started to get all these weird glances.

"We better move on", she mumbled. He leaned back and she regretted her words immediately. "Or not." She reached up to kiss him again. He gave her quick kiss and then pulled away again.

"What about going to my place?"

"What about yes?" she said and grinned.

He lived in an apartment close to the park. She was amazed by the mundane look. There was a living room with two guitars in one corner, one electric and one acoustic, and a bass in another corner.

She'd only seen them in stores and in music videos. After what happened to her parents she'd trained like crazy and barely went out.

"You're playing?" she asked and picked up the acoustic guitar. She sat down on the black couch and tried to play a melody. Her family had been so musical, but apparently that gene had forgotten about her.

"Yeah, from time to time." He reached for the guitar she was holding, almost pleading. She gave it to him and he started playing.

"_Hello stranger_

_I met you at the ending of a closing chapter_

_You told me the pages were meant to live_

_Living a real fake life_."

Well, clearly he could sing.

"Dylan! That was great", she exclaimed.

He blushed. "Thanks. I haven't finished writing it yet."

She shuffled closer to him and put an arm around his shoulders. "Tell me when you have."

They leaned closer to each other, but were interrupted by Emma's phone. She had a pretty good idea about who it was.

She looked at the screen and saw that she was right.

"Hello, _Julian_." She got up from the couch and went into the kitchen, making a sorry face to Dylan.

"Hey, Em! Busy?" He knew she was and she knew he knew.

"I'm with Dylan."

"Well, then I guess you aren't interested in your work any longer?"

She knew he meant her parents' case. Frustratedly she gritted her teeth.

"What do you've got?"

"Come home and see", he tantalized.

"It better be important", she hissed and hang up.

She turned around and saw Dylan in the doorframe. His loose shirt was formed after shapes of muscles. Maybe it was in the shadowhunter's nature to like those with muscles. Oh, if only not everything in her life was made out by those rules.

"Who was it?" he asked.

"A friend", she said and sighed. "I've gotta go."

He had a worried or maybe troubled, expression she couldn't make out.

"Okay, I'll drive you."

"You really don't ha—", but he was already halfway through the door.

He stopped outside the Institute, but neither of them got out.

"Thank you, Dylan, for taking me out. I've had a really fun time", Emma said and turned her head to him. She saw him staring straight ahead.

"I've had a fun time too." He still had that troubled expression.

She interlaced her fingers with his which lay between their seats.

"What's wrong?"

This time he turned his head too. "Who called you before?"

"I told you. A friend."

"Do you have a boyfriend."

"What?" She let go of his hand and sat up straight. "No! Than I wouldn't have _kissed_ you."

He smiled slightly. "Okay, good. I don't have a girlfriend, just so you know."

"Well, that _is_ good to know", she said and laughed. He seemed to relax at the sound of her laughter.

He leaned over and kissed her with a hand drawing her closer.

Suddenly, he broke off the kiss.

"Somebody's watching us", he whispered in her ear. She turned around and there he was. Dressed in black jeans and button-down shirt. He leaned against the brick wall of the Institute. His dark hair was messy as always. And she could feel that even though she'd spent this day with Dylan none of her feelings for _him_ had changed.

"Jules", she mumbled.

"You know him?"

"He's a friend."

"Well, he doesn't look that friendly."

He was right. She could practically feel him glaring at her.

"I've gotta go now, but once again thank you for today." She pecked him on the cheek and got out.

He drove off and she went over to Jules. He stood up straight, but didn't meet her halfway.

"Hello, Jules", she muttered.

"Had a fun time?" he asked, still glaring.

"Don't be so judging. I like Dylan."

He flinched at her words. "By the angel, Emma, he's a mundane!" he said and threw out a hand.

"Don't be jealous, Julian!"

He froze. "What?"

"Nothing, let's go inside", she said and started walking, but was stopped by him grabbing her wrist.

"Ouch, let me go!"

"What do you mean by jealous?" he pushes.

"Nothing, let's go."

"Yeah, okay", he said and followed her inside. "Because you know we're _parabatai_ and I kinda have something going on with Cristina…"

"Yeah, I know, Jules. Now, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"Oh, right", he said and got excited. "I really think I'm on to something."

**Okay, another chapter. Now I know this might not have been what you had expected. ****_Emma_**** liking ****_another_**** boy? I have my reasons so don****'****t get angry. ;)**

**Thank you for the nice comments! Please continue commenting and I promise I****'****ll update.**


	5. Chapter 5

They went to the library again and she could see he had been working hard. Books were spread out all over the desk and floor.

He picked up the book on top of the others on the desk. It was a small blue book with tiny letters on the front. He went through the pages until he found what he was looking for.

"Here, look at this."

He showed her a picture of marks similar to those which had been on her parents. She grabbed the book and read the text out loud.

"_Report about missing nephilim. Missing nephilim found with odd markings, similar to those we use. We can only hope the Clave will let us try to stop this._"

"They later write further investigation was dismissed", Jules said and crossed his arms. "The Clave clearly doesn't want nobody to know about this."

"When is this from?"

"1935, written by Harold Nightdale. _They _are Yosef Redtree and Buford Branwell. Apparently, this has happened before."

She was stunned. Never had she believed she would get anywhere with this. "Apparently it has. Can I have it?"

"Yeah, of course", he said.

She couldn't take her eyes off it as it lay in her hands. Maybe, finally, she'd get to know what happened to her parents.

"Emma", he mumbled. She nodded slightly. "Don't get too focused on this. I don't want you to live in the past."

She looked up at him. He wore a worried smile.

"I won't. I only want them to be proud of me."

He pulled her into a tight embrace. "They will always be proud of you. No matter what you do. And so will I."

At his warm touch she could feel how cold she'd been in the big library, with only shorts and a tank top, and shivered.

"You're cold?" he wondered and pulled back. She nodded. "Go back to your room and change and I will go get you some hot cocoa."

She grinned at that. "Just like when we were little?"

"Yeah, just like when we were little."

When she got to her room she put the book in a drawer in her nightstand and her phone on her desk then she went to her closet. She changed into her comfier jeans and a sweatshirt and sat down in bed after collecting a bunch of blankets.

Eventually Jules came with two mugs. He had changed into sweatpants and t-shirt.

He sat down carefully next her in bed watching the mugs. Steam rose from the hot cocoa.

"Here you go", he said and handed her one of them.

She warmed her hands on it. Although they lived in L.A. the Institute was made of stone and cooled down on the hottest days.

"Thank you."

He wrapped a blanket around them and pulled her closer. She was leaning her head against his shoulder.

"This", he said. "This is what I miss."

"Me too."

They sat there in silence.

That will say, until the door opened. Cristina stood in the doorway. She smirked at the sight of them.

"Cuddling without me? No way!" she said and dived into the bed. She laid on her belly looking at them.

"Hi, Cristina", Jules said and Emma could hear the smile in his voice.

"So, Em, how did it go?" She wiggled an eyebrow at her.

"Great!" Emma could feel her cheeks turn red, partly from awkwardness, partly from happiness.

"Did he kiss you?"

She could feel Jules' stare.

"Yes, and he's good at it."

Jules froze. "Emma, he's a mundane!"

Cristina snorted. "Please, Jules, who haven't dated a mundane?"

"_I_ haven't and don't plan to either. It's against the rules."

Cristina could see how Jules' words affected Emma. "Jules, I think you should leave. Girls always need a girl talk after a date. No boys allowed."

He sighed and got out of the room.

"Thanks", Emma mumbled gratefully.

Cristina took Jules' seat next to her.

"So, do you like him?"

"He's so nice and plays guitar and bass _and_ sings."

"I think you've got quite a catch there. But once again, do you _like_ him?"

She knew her feelings for Dylan weren't like the ones she had for Jules. No way near them actually, but this was only the beginning. Maybe something good could come out of it.

"Yeah, I like him."

"Then don't let him wait too long to meet you again. Although you shouldn't seem too interested. You can't be seen as needy."

Emma threw her head back and sighed. "These rules!"

"Oh, watch it", Cristina said and pointed at the mug in Emma's hands. She'd forgotten about the cocoa and slowly sipped at it now.

When she was done she put it down on the nightstand.

"So, what _can_ I do?" Emma asked.

"Wait maybe two days, then you can come back to me."

Cristina got up from bed and walked over to the door. "Now I have to make up with Jules, if you know what I mean", she said and winked at her before she turned around and opened the door only to find Drusilla and Octavian on the other side.

"Hello", Drusilla said.

"Hello, Dru and you too, Tavvy", she said and ruffled his hair. "See you later, Em!"

Cristina left and the other two got into the room instead.

"Hi, Ems", Octavian said.

"Hello. Sit here", she said and patted on the bed. The two of them sat down on the beddings.

"Were you on a date?" Drusilla blurted out.

Emma laughed at her curiosity. "Yeah, I was, Dru."

"And he was a mundane?" You could tell she was excited.

"He was."

"Oh", she sighed.

"I didn't know you were some lovesick teenager, Dru."

Drusilla's face grew serious. "I'm not. It's just that our uncle barely lets anybody go outside except for you, Jules and Cristina. We are too _young_."

"You _know_ why he worries", Emma said. Their uncle was still grieving from the loss of his brother and Blackthorn children's father. "I'd probably be worried sick if I was him."

"I'm 13! Please, Ems, can't you talk to him?" she pleaded. Octavian listened carefully now. They really wanted to get out.

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't see why you're coming to me."

"Cristina doesn't really care and Jules would only agree with our uncle."

She was right. Cristina didn't know their history firsthand and barely talked to the younger siblings and Jules was happy as long as he could think of his siblings as safe.

"You're probably right. Okay, I'll go talk to him."

She got up and Drusilla and Octavian were right behind her as she walked out of the room.

They found their uncle, Arthur, in his "private attic". He was reading books, in Latin, as always.

He looked up as they entered.

"You didn't knock."

Emma forgot what to say. She so rarely talked to him and had barely been in the attic at all.

"Sorry, uncle, but Emma really needed to talk to you", Octavian said and shoved her forward.

She glared back at him.

Arthur waited for her to talk.

"Well, I wondered if I could take Dru and Tavvy out some time."

He got a dark shadow in his eyes. "No."

"But, uncle, we never get out of here", Drusilla groaned.

"It's dangerous."

"I'm 13 and Tavvy is six. We should be out with friends!"

Their uncle rose from his chair and dropped his book on the floor.

"You stay inside of these walls and that'll be it." He sighed and sat down again. "Now, leave."

"But-", Drusilla began.

"Leave."

They closed the door behind them.

"I'm really sorry", Emma said.

"It's okay", Drusilla grumbled.

"I'll try again, I promise."

Without saying anything else the two siblings left and Emma was left alone.

**Oh, sooooo long since I updated. I have this old excuse that school takes a lot of time. Yeah, you don****'****t wanna hear it so I****'****ll come with another excuse instead. **

**My dog ate my fanfic? **

**Good one?**

**Maybe not****…**


	6. Chapter 6

She went back to her room and threw herself on the bed and groaned.

A loud beep interrupted her self-pity.

She sat up and saw her phone on the desk. It beeped again and the screen lit up.

She got up to get it and went back to her bed again. Her first thought was that it was Dylan. There were only a few people who had her number and even less who actually contacted her.

Instead she saw Jules' name on the screen.

Why are you upset?

She furrowed her eyebrows.

_What?_ she thought.

Okay, I admit that could've been seen as creepy that I know that you're upset. But it's not. I'm not a warlock or anything. I'm in your room.

She looked around in her room, but couldn't see him.

"That did _not_ make it any less creepy, Jules. Where are you?" she demanded to know.

"Oh, sorry", she could hear him say from behind her curtain. He stepped out from there with his phone in his hands.

"_Why_ were you behind my curtains?" She glared at him.

"It was meant as a surprise, but then it got kind of creepy", he mumbled. His dark hair danced in front of her eyes. _If Helen was home she would have cut it already, _she thought.

"But why are you _here_, in my room. I thought you were with Cristina." She hoped he couldn't hear the jealousy in her voice.

"You're my _parabatai_, Ems."

"That doesn't really explain it."

He sat down next to her in her bed. He leaned back against the wall and turned his face to her.

"If you want a girl talk then talk to me. You can pretend I'm a girl." He sat up on his knees and pretended to throw his hair behind his shoulder. "Hello, I'm Emma. I love boys and long walks on the beach."

She laughed and threw a pillow at him.

"I'm not like that!"

He laughed and leaned back against the wall again.

"But really, Emma, I wanna talk to you even if I'm not a girl."

She leaned against his shoulder.

"I wanna talk to you too, Jules. Don't worry, I won't trade you for a girl."

They were silent for a moment until Jules spoke up again.

"So…was he a good kisser?"

"Jules!"

She shoved him so he almost fell off the bed. He had to grab her shoulders to not fall.

"Sorry, sorry."

He sat down next to her again.

"So, have you read anything in the book I gave you?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "You gave it to me like an _hour_ ago. No, I haven't read it."

"I really want you to think this through, Ems. Perhaps all this will do is cutting open old scars."

"I need to do this, Jules. I've known for five years that my parents' death wasn't a normal attack and I can't let their murderer walk free."

He leaned against her shoulder and took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I'm just worried about you, that's all."

She leaned her head against the top of his head.

"And I'm happy that I have somebody who worries about me, but it can't change my choices."

"As long as you're happy…"

**Short chapter, I know. I also know that this fanfic has few readers but to those who reads it: Thank you! ****J****And I hope you like it too ;) **


	7. Chapter 7

"Have you seen Dru?" Octavian asked when he stormed in. Emma and Jules had both dozed off and were startled when he came.

"No, she was with you last time I saw her", Jules answered.

"Well, I'm not with her now, am I?" He closed the door after him.

Jules stared after him. "Such attitude!"

Emma laughed and patted his cheek. "Don't worry, it'll stop in about ten years."

He snorted. "Thanks for the encouragement."

Her phone beeped from a text and they were startled once again.

"Who is it?" Jules asked, but she suspected he already knew.

"Dylan."

Hey, wanna hang out some time?

"You saw each other like three hours ago", Jules said. He peeked over her shoulder to see the screen.

"Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"Some overprotective brother", she mumbled as she typed.

Already? Well, I suppose I can find the time ;)

"I'm not overprotective. And since when do you use smiley faces?"

"Since it turned to 21st century."

"Well, it looks silly."

"You look silly."

"He sighed. "Now you're like Tavvy."

"You-"

He put a hand over her mouth before she could finish the sentence.

"Don't you dare."

"-Aje lae Tavvy."

He stuck out his tongue and removed his hand.

The phone beeped again.

What about Monday afternoon?

She couldn't help but smile. In the corner of her eye she could see Jules' judging eyes.

See you then ;)

"C'mon, at least take away the wink."

She hit send. "Oops, too late", she said and grinned.

"Youths", he sighed.

"We're both 17!"

"And still I'm both wiser and…"

"Can't come up with anything else, uh? Me either."

"You- You girl!"

"Wiser?" She rolled her eyes. "Okay, old man, wanna go to the training room?"

"Sure!"

When they came there Olivia and Tiberius were already there. Olivia throwing knives and Tiberius reading a book.

"Hey, Ty! Haven't seen you for a while", Jules said.

"Yeah, not since yesterday", Olivia answered for him.

"What is it with you people? Can't you put away that sarcasm for _one minute_?"

"She's right, you know", Tiberius mumbled.

"I know, it's good to see you though." He looked to Emma. "So, wanna train? Or are you just gonna stand there laughing at me?"

She grinned and walked over to the crossbows, getting the feeling of one of her favorites. "I wasn't laughing, just smiling. And if I know you right you're gonna give up on training within an hour and go somewhere to paint."

"You do know me right, and if I know you right you will spend the day here", he said and hugged her.

She shrugged him off and laughed. "What are you doing? Go find some knives or something."

He snorted and went to the knives next to Olivia.

Emma shot some arrows at a dummy leaning against a wall. Every one of them hitting its target.

"You're such a show off", Jules said behind her. She turned around and glared at him.

"Maybe you should train more", she answered.

"Don't need to. My one true love and _parabatai_ trains enough for both of us."

Her heart skipped a beat, but she kept a blank face. "You can't love a _parabatai_."

"Oh, c'mon. You know I'm only kidding."

"You better", she said and shot the dummy in the heart.

**Hello! Guess what I did last weekend…**

**Ever heard of the book ****_The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer_****? It's a really good book and a reeeeaaaally good trilogy (****_The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, The Retribution of Mara Dyer_****).**

**Anyway, the last book was released last Tuesday and I couldn't put it away so on Saturday I was done. It was so good. If you want to read a really weird, twisted fantasy/sci-fi that's the one.**

**Bye bye**


	8. Chapter 8

When she felt like her limbs were collapsing after hours of training she decided to stop. She looked around to tell Jules that, but he wasn't there and neither were the twins. She looked at the clock on the wall and saw they'd probably eaten dinner already. Her stomach rumbled as on cue.

She found Jules on the roof, painting as usual. For a moment she stood there watching him. The watercolors he often used transformed into a beautiful picture of the ocean. The waves were only a hundred yards away from the Institute and you could see them from where they stood. The sun was only a streak of light at the horizon. A few minutes later the stars had come clear.

"Gonna stand there the rest of the night?"

He turned around.

"You heard me?" she asked.

"No, you've trained to be quiet, but you're my parabatai. We know where the other is."

"I don't always know where you are."

"You found me now."

She sighed and let out a short laugh. "That's because I know you."

He shrugged and started to pack the colors in a bag "But still."

"Have you eaten?" Emma asked.

"No, why?" he asked and furrowed his eyebrows.

"It's well past ten."

"That explains the darkness."

"It does. Wanna go get something from the kitchen?"

"Yeah, just gonna go check that the others have got something too."

She was just finished with sandwiches and tea when Jules came to the kitchen.

"Want some help with that?" He took the tea cups and headed to the stairs.

Emma followed him up.

"Where were the others?"

"Tavvy and Dru were sleeping and the twins are playing cards in their room. Cristina is doing… something", he said and shrugged.

"Where are we going?"

"To my room. We've been in yours the last few times."

"That's because mine is the best."

"It's impersonal."

"Having a messy room is not to have a 'personal touch'", she said and rolled her eyes.

"You need to have an open mind."

They got to his room and he opened the door with his elbow.

Something brushed against her leg as she entered and she looked down on a cat. A blue cat.

"Hey, Oscar. Haven't seen you for a while", she said.

"And that's because we've hung out at your place. He prefers mine."

"I won't destroy my room only to make him come to my room. Then he can stay here." The cat gave her a hurt look. "No offense." He practically snorted and went to sleep under an armchair full of clothes.

"It's so messy", she said and wrinkled her nose.

Sketches and drawings were spread out around the floor and attached to the walls. Pens and brushes covered his desk.

"Personal touch", he countered.

She sighed and sat down on his bed. "I guess there are enough crumbles in the bed for you not to be mad if I eat here?"

"You're probably right", he said and sat down next to her. She gave him a sandwich.

They snuggled like when they were kids, like they'd always done.

"Cozy", Emma said and wrinkled her nose.

"You're so cute when you do that." He mimicked the grimace.

"At least one of us is then."

He grinned and lay down. "Your humor is so mean."

"And that's why you wanted me as a parabatai. So that you'd learn what world had to come for you."

"Exactly, since the fighting part was just a plus." He raised an eyebrow.

"A big plus", she corrected.

"And why did you want me?"

He seemed serious about this question. Lower voice and avoiding eye contact.

She looked down at him where he lied beside her. "Because you're handsome and you had those puppy eyes…"

He turned around onto his belly. "You think I'm handsome?"

"You're a Blackthorn", she tried to explain herself, "you're all handsome." She took a deep breath to clear her mind. "Anyway, I also choose you because you keep your faith in me even when everybody else thinks I'm hopeless."

He shook his head so the dark strands of hair fell over his eyes. "No, that's why I chose you. I'm the hopeless cause while you're fighting for me so that the others won't see it."

She patted his cheek. "And yet, that's why I chose you."

They woke up next to each other, Jules with his sandwich lying on his cheek. It fell off as he rolled over onto his back.

"What time is it?" he asked as he stretched his arms.

She yawned and looked at the clock on his nightstand table.

"9 am."

He jumped up from bed with a smile on his lips. "Good, then we can go at once."

"What?" Emma sat up and gave him a surprised look. "Go where?"

His fingers worked with the buttons of his shirt. "We're going for a research."

She sighed and got up. "Please, give me an explanation."

"We're going to work with the odd markings today."

"Oh!" She actually got excited. He helped her with something she for so long had thought was something she'd have to deal with herself. "Where do we start?"

"At the magician's residence", he said dramatically and made a bow.

"You mean we're going to a warlock. Aren't I typically the one going out for adventures?" she asked and wiggled an eyebrow at him.

"Going to a warlock isn't the same as going on an adventure."

"So, which one?"

"Malcolm Fade, who else?"

Hello!

I know I'm not really good at this updating thing, but I do have my reasons. First, I do have homework and I've changed courses at school which means I have even more than before. Second, I've had a total writer's block.

I'm gonna try to become better.

I really like writing this story and I hope you like it too. For those of you who are writing nice comments thank you. It always makes me more inspired.


	9. Chapter 9

When Jules headed for a bus that pulled over next to them Emma gave him a questioning look.

"What?" he asked and grinned.

"The bus? Really?" She followed him onto the bus while murmuring to herself. "Fine with me, but you'll be the one explaining this for Arthur."

The Blackthorns' uncle wasn't exactly tempted of being a part of his brother's family, his books were everything to him, but when it came to rules he was one of a kind. One, never interfere with mundane culture, two, _keep to rule one_. Jules was old enough to get away with going out for a cup of coffee, but going on a bus…?

If Starbucks had smelt like a perfume shop with sweet products mixed coffee this was the opposite. The air was shared with 50 others in a small space smelling of cheap after shave, sweat and she was sure that a baby sitting in its mother's lap was gonna throw up any minute.

She told Jules all this.

"Calm down, Ems." He was practically laughing. "You're overreacting."

"Well, tell me that again when you've been murdered by some Downworlder with a bus fetish."

"_What?_"

"Just wait and see."

There were no seats where they could sit so they had to stand next to an old lady with oranges in a plastic bag and another mother with a child. Two guys were standing a few seats away and kept eyeing Emma.

She leaned over to whisper in Jules' ear. "What are those guys doing?"

They had started nodding at her direction. Jules looked over at them and grinned when he saw them. "They're flirting with you. It's not really something you haven't experienced before."

She rolled her eyes. "No, but why don't they get over here and ask me out or something then?"

He grinned even wider. "They think I'm your boyfriend."

"My boyfriend?"

After another few nods the guys went over to them. One of them had dark hair in the form of a quaff and tattoos all over his arm. The other one was short and had a shape of eyebrows that made him look chronically angry.

The one with the quaff started talking. "Hey, I'm Adam, and this is Sean." Pointing at the angry one. "Going to the city?"

"Yeah, why?" Emma asked.

"Wanna hang out or something?"

"Actually", she began and stood up straighter, "Jules, here, and I going out to buy a couch. For the apartment we'll move into, after the wedding." She took Jules' hand and felt him tense beside her. "Right, honey?" Just to make it trustworthy she gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Right."

The quaff guy blushed and murmured something and they went over to their original place again.

Emma was gonna let go of Jules' hand, but he held on.

"Have to make them believe it", he explained and shrugged.

They got off the bus at the next stop.

"So, where to?" she asked.

"This way."

They were no longer holding hands and Emma had to walk fast to keep up with his fast pace. His legs were longer than hers. Too much longer according to her.

Turned out that Malcolm Fade lived in a penthouse close to the sea. Jules knocked on the door and right before the second knock the door sprang open. There in the doorway with a bright smile on his face stood the High Warlock of Los Angeles. He was dressed in a purple button-down shirt which was in the same color as his eyes. Emma couldn't break free from his stare until he looked away.

"Hello!" Malcolm greeted. "Welcome."

They followed him inside. The furnishing was light and comfy. When they got to the parlor – yes, parlor – the tea was already served.

"Did you know we were coming?" Emma asked suspiciously. She couldn't really trust warlocks. Magnus Bane she could trust, but he was an exception.

"Yes."

"Is it because you're a warlock?"

He gave her a smug smile. "Could be, or it could also be because I saw you from the window, and who would you visit but me!"

They sat down on the white couch in the middle of the living room. Jules took a sip of the tea. Emma passed as she still wasn't so sure about Malcolm, based on the fact that he _was_ a warlock.

"We came to ask you something", Jules started.

"That's mostly the only reason why shadowhunters come to visit", Malcolm said and sat down in a comfy armchair.

Jules put a photo of the marks on the table. "Have you seen this before?"

His eyes widened. "The Seelie Queen has visited you already?"

Emma leaned forward. "You've talked to the Seelie Queen?"

Malcolm shrugged and took a sip of the tea. He wrinkled his nose. "I don't really like tea."

In the corner of her eye she could see Jules roll his eyes. She ignored his comment. "What did she say to you?"

The warlock moved anxiously in his seat. "I know you shadowhunters don't like the Fae, neither do I actually, but my door is open for those who need my help."

She glared at him. He started getting annoying. "_What_ did she _say_?"

He sighed and stopped moving. "The Fae have been the target of whoever is doing those killings and markings for some time now. This morning one of the Fae came, on the behalf of the Seelie Queen, for my advice. I told her this was something the shadowhunters should look into." He chuckled at the memory. "She wasn't very pleased."

"Well, the Fae and the shadowhunters aren't on the best of terms", Jules mumbled.

"I know what happened in the war, but they can be rather amusing."

Emma snorted. "Then you're alone with thinking so."

"Anyway, if you want to investigate more, or whatever you usually do, you should go to the Fae."

Emma rose to her feet. "Then we'll go ask somebody else. We won't work for or with the Fae. They are liars!"

The warlock was about to object, but Jules gave him a warning look that made him sink back in the armchair.

Jules then looked at her and put a calming hand on her arm. "Please, sit down, Ems. I'm sure Mr. Fade must have something of value to say." He rose a questioning eyebrow at him.

Once again Malcolm started moving around in his seat. "Perhaps…"

"Oh, no!" Emma pointed a warning finger at him. "Don't you dare use the Fae's expressions."

"Okay, I'll tell you what I know. Please, sit down, you make me nervous."

Reluctantly she sat back down. "Tell us."

"I said I would. Okay, so those marks…"

Emma started getting irritated and her _parabatai_ could feel it. "Please, just say it."

"Those marks have been seen before."

"Oh, really?" Emma asked sarcastically. "It's not like these pictures _are_ five years old."

Malcolm rolled his eyes at her. "That's not old. I mean like really much before."

Jules frowned at his unusual way of expressing himself. Emma spoke instead. "When?"

"In the 20th century." His expression had turned darker during the conversation. "That's all I have to say. Now, you may leave." He got up and showed the confused shadowhunters to the door.

"What happened then?" Jules asked.

"Nothing that I'm alone to know about", the warlock said and closed the door.

**Okay, I have no idea what I'm gonna write here except that I hope that those of you who are reading this fanfic won't give up on me even if I'm really slow. ****L**


	10. Chapter 10

"Just me, or did he get really weird really fast?" Jules asked.

"He was always weird, just different kinds of it", Emma answered. They strode past expensive shops that were in the same neighborhood as Malcolm's place.

Warm winds came from the ocean. A smell of sea salt came from the same direction.

The small shops changed to motor stores down the road. Emma stopped I front of one of them. A motorbike was on display in one of the windows.

"That must have some great power", Emma mumbled.

Jules looks at the bike then at Emma and frowns. "You can't be serious."

"Why not?"

"First, because Arthur won't let anybody come near the Institute with that killing machine." Emma rolls her eyes at him as he continues. "Second, it's a killing machine!"

"It's not. And instead of taking that gross bus next time we can take the bike."

"I'm not going anywhere near that thing", he says and backs away from the window as if the glass between him and the bike wasn't enough.

"You're such a coward", she said.

They took the bus home and this time Emma tried not to take too deep breaths.

When they entered the Institute it was all quiet.

Emma could see how worried that made Jules. "They're probably in the training room. Diana is probably here too."

He exhaled. "Probably. We should go there too."

They went to their rooms to change their clothes and met up again outside the training room. Sounds of talking came from the room.

"Hear? They're here", Emma said. Jules smiled in response.

She opened the door and saw the Blackthorn children in various corners of the room. Tiberius reading on the windowsill, close to him was Olivia practicing fencing on her own. Drusilla was kicking a dummy. Octavian sat with their tutor Diana Wrayburn. They were studying. Cristina saw them as they entered. A big smile on her face as usual. Her hair fell over her shoulders like black water. Emma's light hair was long as well, but she usually kept it in a braid.

"Hey, where were you?"

Jules answered her. "We were out for a walk."

"Well, you're here now. Wanna spar, Jules?"

"Later maybe. I'm gonna train with Emma now."

Emma felt a spark in her heart. They were parabatai, but she'd felt as if he'd chosen Cristina over her for the last couple of weeks. This easy choice made her feel special.

They fenced and sparred for what felt like hours. Emma complained at him for not using enough power or enough speed. When Jules finally gave up and lay down on the floor panting the rest of the group had gone to eat lunch. Only Emma and Jules were left.

"I give up!" Jules called out to the ceiling.

"You're too lazy."

He raised his head off the floor and glared at her. "I'm lazy and I'm proud of it."

"Wanna go and eat something."

As an answer Jules sprang up.

They were alone in the kitchen as the others had already eaten. They ate bowls of yoghurt since they were too exhausted to do anything else.

"So what are you up to this afternoon?" Jules asked with his mouth full of strawberry yoghurt.

"Nothing, really", she said and shrugged.

"What happened to your plans with Dylan?"

Emma stopped eating and cursed. "Shit! I forgot." The clock on the wall showed 4 o'clock.

"When were you meeting him?"

She started washing her bowl and put away the yoghurt. "Don't know. Gotta text him."

She ran up the stairs to her room where her phone was. When she looked a texts she saw 4 new from Dylan.

11:04

Hey, when do you wanna hang out?

13:48

We said Monday afternoon, right?

14:55

I'm starting to seem really clingy.

15:43

Okay, if you see this tell me when you wanna meet.

She felt guilty when she saw those messages.

"Knock, knock." She spun around and saw Jules in the doorway. The bowl of yoghurt was still in his hands. He put it down on her desk.

"No, no. you don't leave your dishes in here. Unlike yours, my room will be tidy."

"I'll bring it with me when I leave. Has he texted?"

"Yeah, since this morning."

"You don't think he's a little clingy?"

"Well, I told him I'd see him today.

She started texting him back.

Hello! Sorry I never texted you back. What about 5 o´clock?

"You're still gonna meet him?" He looked at the phone over her shoulder.

She sighed and looked at him. "I know you don't like him-"

He laughed as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Don't like him? He's a mundane!"

She glared at him. "I like him and that's what counts."

"Fine, go to the mundane." He left the room without the half-finished bowl of yoghurt

**Another chapter! Yay! **

**Okay, this is a really short author's note or whatever it's called. The thing is, I'm not very good at these. Some people write long ones, I write mini ones. **

** Good night/day/morning/…**


	11. Chapter 11

Emma had gone to Dylan's place an hour later. They were playing a TV-game called FIFA or something. They had no TV-games at the Los Angeles Institute. She'd heard some other institutes who had more of these mundane cultures, but Arthur wasn't too fond of them.

"You've never played this before?" he asked as he scored a goal.

"Shit! No, never. My family is more a traditional conservative family."

"I better teach you some TV-game manners then."

The game had ended and Dylan had won, big time.

"Okay, something with more action now, then", Dylan said and rose from his spot on the floor.

He'd picked a game with some kind of assassin. Emma had thought at first that being a fighter in real life would make it easier in the game. It was not.

Later they sat on the couch, Dylan playing the bass.

"Do you play any instrument?" he asked Emma.

"No, no, no." She laughed at his question. "My family's instrument is the violin, but I've never managed to learn. I'm more of an up-and-move girl." _An up-and-fight-some-demons girl._

"I can teach you how to play bass some time", he said. "If you want?"

"If you don't get too mad at me. I'm not really musical."

"Come here", he said patting the spot next to him. She over to him and he handed her the instrument.

She tried a few chords she'd seen him play earlier. Sound came from the speaker. It did not sound like when Dylan played.

"Put you index finger here." He moved her hand. "And play." He controlled her hands to play the right rhythm. He beamed at her. "See, you're musical."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Barely. You're practically the one who's playing."

"It's a start." He moved his face closer hers. Their foreheads touched and Emma could feel her lips form a smile. She leaned in closer and their lips touched. Her hands moved to the back of his neck and his hands traced her arms to her shoulders. In that moment she didn't care whether she was musical or not. Their lips moved in sync.

But was this the boy she liked?

Yes, she liked him for sure.

But did she like him as she liked Jules?

No…

Emma drew back after minutes of kissing. They were both panting and she could see a smile playing on Dylan's lips.

"You're a storm, girl", he whispered in her ear. She had to tell him. She had to tell him there was someone else.

A crash was heard from the front door and they both sprang up. Emma walked slowly over to the hallway and turned the corner. There at the door stood something she'd hoped she wouldn't encounter with a mundane nearby. Especially if that mundane was Dylan. The creature long-shaped head like an alligator with eyes on top of it. A ravener. Poisonous.

"What _is_ that?" she heard Dylan say from behind her. _Did he see the ravener? Did he have the Sight?_ Emma had no time to worry at the moment, but pulled her seraph blades she'd hidden in her boots and sprang at the creature.

"Get out of here, Dylan!"

She tried to cut the ravener, but it was fast. Too fast. An arm lashed out at her and fhe flung into a wall. Her eyes dimmed and she felt like she was gonna faint.

"Emma!" Dylan shouted. _No, why didn't he leave? Why hadn't she made sure that he'd left?_

She got to her feet. "Dylan, leave. Now!"

He stood in the hallway with a broom. He'd tried to hit the demon, but all he'd achieved was to make it irritated.

The ravener was about throw itself on Dylan, but Emma got to it first.

She stabbed it in the back with a seraph blade and hoped it'd die. Instead it turned around to face her. Before she could dodge the attack it bit her. Its fangs sank into her skin and she could feel the world darken around her. With her last powers she stabbed it once again in the stomach. This time it dissolved, going to hell or wherever demons went.

**Oooohhh, a ravener. **

**So I've got a hint for you: something's gonna happen in the next chapter. **

**I know, that was a really bad hint, but what I meant was that there's gonna happen something that will change a certain situation.**

**I'm not really good at hints…or explaining them. What I wanna say, please read the next chapter. **

**Christmas soon, and Christmas break too. Maybe I can write more often then…**

**Oh, I've gotta buy Christmas gifts. Won't surprise me if I buy the last one the night before.**

**Wish for better luck for you.**


	12. Chapter 12

The water's surface went farther and farther away from her. She sunk in the dark water. It embraced her. Not in the way the scuba divers so lovingly say, but in the scary as ** way. Closer to the bottom she could no longer hear the crushing of the waves. _Don't let me die. Don't let me die. Not like this._

Nobody could save her down there. If she was to survive she had to save herself. But panic struck her and she couldn't move. She tried to scream, but all that came out was bubbles of air floating up to the surface. _Follow the bubbles._ She swam with all of her last strength.

She was just about to reach the surface when something grabbed her leg and drew her back down. She screamed again as she disappeared in the deep of the ocean.

"Ems. Emma!"

Somebody shook her to wake her up. Her eyes opened slowly to see her _parabatai_ lying next to her in her bed.

"Jules?" She looked around in the room and saw that she was in her room. "What happened?"

"You had a nightmare."

She shook her head. "No, what happened? Back at Dylan's place?"

"Oh, that. Emma, I thought you'd die." He hugged her tightly and dug his face into her shoulder. "The ravener poisoned you. If it wasn't for Malcolm you'd have died."

"Malcolm?"

He rested his head on the pillow next to hers again. "Yeah, the warlock. I called him and asked for his help. No runes could save you. Then he worked his magic on Dylan. He won't remember a thing."

"What? _What?_ This is going too fast. What is he doing with Dylan?"

"Even if he couldn't see that you were fighting a demon he did see you fighting. Probably a large dog or something and that would be hard to explain. Malcolm makes him forget."

"Forget? How much?"

"Just the fight, don't worry."

"I don't like the warlock going near him", she muttered.

"It's easier that way."

"I know, I didn't argue with you."

He sighed and moved closer to her. The constant smell of paint reached her. But it was fainter than usual.

"How long have I been out?" she asked.

"For about two days." If she knew him, as she suspected she did, he hadn't left her side once. She could see a tray of food on the bedside table. The food was untouched.

"Have you eaten?"

He hesitated. "Yes." She raised her eyebrows in a disapproving look. "No."

"Jules… You can't stop eating", she whined.

"I was worried."

"I'm good now. Eat now."

He shook his head so the brown strands brushed her face. "No, I want to look at you for a minute without worrying whether you'd wake up or not."

"I won't leave you, Jules", she whispered gently.

He touched her forehead with his lips in a protective gesture. "You can't." he tilted her chin so he could look in her eyes. "Because I'd be running after you."

Did he understand that with leaving her she knew he'd meant dying? By running did he mean…?

"Julian!" She hit him in the chest. Gently enough not to hurt him, but hard enough for him to know she was serious. "You will not kill yourself."

"I never said I would."

"I know what you meant."

He turned over to lie on his back. His eyes rested on the wooden ceiling. "I can't live without you, Ems. I was really worried when I got the call." He turned over to look at her again. "Dylan called me to tell me the ambulance was on its way to get you to the hospital. He told me you were practically dying. There was barely a pulse. You wanna know what I thought when I heard that?" He continued without waiting for an answer. "I thought that you'd die without me close to you. Without me comforting you." There was a pause and a slight intake of breath. "Without you letting me kiss you."

He kissed her before she could react. His lips were soft against hers. Her heart beat faster than ever and gave no hint that she'd been dying only two days ago. For years she'd thought about this, but never been brave enough to hope for it to happen. It was an impossibility coming true.

She moved his hips closer to her. As a response he moved his hands over her thighs and let them wrap around him. He turned over so he was on top of her. He kissed her neck before he suddenly stopped. The bed shook as he bumped down next to her again. They lay next to each other facing their _parabatai_ and best friend. Only a moment ago they'd lain like this. They'd lain like this several times before, but now it was all different.

"Emma…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" He closed his eyes like he was ashamed of what he'd done.

"Jules-"

He shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I won't do it again." He got up from the bed and went over to the door, but turned to face her again. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but in the end he left without a word.

Left was Emma lying by herself. For a moment she'd thought everything would turn out okay just to be crushed again.

"Jules, I wanted to kiss you too. Have wanted for so long", she said, to no one.

**Sooo, they kissed. Jemma kissed. And Jules ruined it. At least you've got something now, heh? Things are gonna speed up from now on…**

**Hope you've liked it so far. Please comment and if you really like it share? **


	13. Chapter 13

The following day Emma spent with Cristina. To be honest she didn't know how she ended up there. Emma had been in the training room throwing knives when she came in.

"So you're up?" Emma spun around. "Please, don't throw that." She looked at her raised hand clutching a knife.

"Sorry", Emma muttered in response and turned back. The next knife hit its target perfectly.

"If you're up, then where's Jules?"

Emma sighed and turned back to Cristina again. "I don't know, alright?"

"Hey, just asking." Cristina sat down on a bench. "He was really worried about you, you know?"

"I know. We're _parabatai_. That's what we do, worry about each other."

"I may not have a _parabatai_ myself, but I know that if I had he or she wouldn't be _that_ worried. Jules lay beside you for two days. Didn't move."

Emma's heart hurt by her words. What if he thinks he's ruined everything now? Why couldn't he just have waited for her to talk? To let her tell him she wanted to be with him.

"I know."

Cristina had been sitting there, watching her until she lay down her knives and went to change.

When she came out from her room again, Cristina sat in the corridor.

"Hi", Cristina said and tried with a smile. When Emma didn't return it she dropped it. "I would want to talk to you."

All Emma could think was; _Hope she doesn't know about the kiss._

She knew Cristina and Jules were more than friends and the last thing Emma wanted was a conflict between the two of them. They were just fine with ignoring each other.

"What is it?" Emma asked.

"Honestly, I just wanna talk to you, like a friend. I've been here for months and haven't really talked to you at all."

"Okay."

Cristina raised her eyebrows. "Okay?"

"What do wanna do?"

Cristina's smile got back and she linked her arm with Emma. "Café?"

"Café."

And that's where they were now, sitting on a café in a park.

"And now my parents want me to marry him", Cristina told Emma. Emma had asked her about her family and now Cristina had told her practically her life story. Not that she minded, Cristina was a good storyteller. Drama all over. Her parents really cared about her, but she thought they cared too much sometimes. For example, they wanted her to end up with a decent guy, and to help her they'd even picked one out. "He's cute, yes, but I don't want one just handed over to me."

"Why don't you tell them?"

"Ugh, they'd be so disappointed. I guess that's part of the reason I was so happy I'd finally leave México. So wouldn't have to face them. I guess it wouldn't be too bad though. It's not like they've talked to the guy or anything, but they expect me to."

"And he lives in México too?" Emma asked. She took a sip of her coffee which was almost cold now. They'd been sitting there for an hour.

"Yep. But let's talk about you now. How are things going with Dylan?"

She sighed and looked down on her hands resting on the table. "I like him, I really do, but I don't know if I can be with a mundane. You know what happened. It's just good luck he didn't get hurt there and then."

"No, he didn't get hurt because you protected him."

"But the ravener wouldn't have been there if I wasn't."

Cristina looked her in the eyes and reached over the table to hold her hands. "You know as well as I do that that doesn't have to be true. It's good luck that you were there. That's what it is."

"But why was it there?"

"That's why we're shadowhunters, right? To figure these things out?"

Emma grimaced. "I'm kinda here for the fight."

**I know the last couple of chapters have been really short, but I'm updating sooner than before, heh? **


	14. Chapter 14

They went back to the Institute and to Emma's surprise she'd really enjoyed Cristina's company. Cristina talked a lot, but Emma was fine with it. She wasn't really in the mood for talking herself.

They were greeted by Oscar or, well, not _greeted_ exactly, but he was there. When they opened the door he looked their way and strode away to be exact.

"You think the others have eaten yet?" Cristina asked Emma.

"We just got back from a café, Cristina."

"Yeah, those cakes were the appetizers."

Emma rolled her eyes. "I think they'd wait for us before they'd eat."

"Great, then kitchen's next", Cristina called out dramatically and grabbed Emma's arm before she marched away.

In the kitchen they met Dru who was making lunch.

Dru's eyes widened as she saw Emma. "Emma, you're awake."

"I am", she said and grinned.

"Are you feeling better?"

"I didn't feel that much while being unconscious, but, yeah, I guess."

"That's good, then I can make lunch for you and Jules too. He hasn't eaten since you were attacked."

Cristina jumped up on the counter and looked down in the saucepans. "Hey, good lookin'. Watcha got cookin'?"

Emma jumped up next to Cristina.

Dru giggled while cutting tomatoes. "Spaghetti Bolognese."

Emma took a slice of tomato. She hesitated before she asked, "Have you seen Jules, Dru?"

"No, until you came here I thought he was in your room."

"He didn't even tell you she was awake?" Cristina asked.

"Nope." She looked up at them. "The lunch won't be ready for another twenty minutes you know."

"Oh, want some help?" Cristina asked.

When the household gathered for lunch Jules was the only one who wasn't there.

"Where's Julian?" Arthur asked.

Emma sighed. "Probably on the roof, but I haven't looked."

"Please do, the boy hasn't eaten for days. We'll wait for you to get back before we eat."

She climbed the stairs up to the roof. She saw him as soon as she opened the door. He sat on the edge smoking a clove cigarette. Oscar lay next to him purring while Jules was stroking him.

Emma marched forward to him and snatched the cigarette from his hand.

Jules gasped at the sudden surprise and looked up at her. "Emma?"

She held up the cigarette. "Lunch is ready and these are bad for you."

He smiled slightly. "I need them."

She sat down next to him and tried not to think about the height. "You don't need them."

"You know, normally people use to give smokers reasons for why they should stop."

"I don't need to. Everybody knows they are bad", Emma said simply.

Jules chuckled and looked at the ocean. Emma tried to think as little about the ocean as the height. They were quiet and usually they'd been able to be quiet and comfortable, but now the topic of a kiss hang between them.

She reached for his wrist and started a sentence. J-U-L-E-.

But he snatched it away from her. "Don't."

"But-", she started.

"I can't Emma. I'm sorry for what I did before, but I just can't."

"Don't be sorry, Jules", she whispered even though nobody else was there.

"Yes, I should be. We're _parabatai_, Ems. We are fellow warriors and best friends. We don't have any other feelings for each other and I'm sorry, I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable." He got up and went to the door. "The others are waiting for us."

"Jules-", she said, but he was already gone.

When she got to the dining room Jules had already taken a seat, but not his usual one. They used to next to each, but now he had taken Octavian's seat, as far away as possible. She sat down in silence.

Right before they'd start eating, Jules spoke.

"I'm going to London tomorrow."

**A short chapter, ****_again_****. But it was so long ago since I updated, not since last year! ;)**

**Oh, and I remember I wrote in another author's note that I'd probably buy the last Christmas present the night before. I bought it the day before, impressive, heh? And I had like three presents to actually buy. It's like a tradition that I have to buyit the day before. **

**Hope you liked the chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15

"What!" Arthur growled.

Everybody flinched by his reaction. Emma had been surprised, and hurt, by Jules' news, but she decided to lean back in her chair and let Arthur take the fight.

"You have not asked me", Arthur continued.

Jules seemed as calm as ever. "I've asked the London Institute. It's a good opportunity for learning about new cultures."

"I can't let my nephew travel over the ocean."

"I'm going through a portal which Malcolm Fade will create for me."

Emma leaned forward again. "Why now?" She gave him a look that said the words she couldn't speak among the others. _Is it because of the kiss?_

"I've got a lead of a case I'm working on leading me to London."

"What case?" Arthur asked surprised. It was obviously about the mystic runes, Arthur knew nothing about that.

Jules seemed to have forgotten to come up with reasonable explanation so Emma spoke instead. "We wanna know why that ravener last Monday attacked me. Just to be sure so it's not an attack on the Institutes."

"But what about Emma. You're _parabatai_."

Jules glanced at Emma. "She will be working from here."

Arthur leaned back in his chair. "Okay, I give you two months at most and that's generous."

"Thank you, uncle."

Few had appetite enough to eat. Only Arthur, and Dru, who'd been cooking, and Cristina, who was always hungry, ate. The others kept glancing at Jules, wondering how they'd survive these months. He was the head of the family. Without him they'd be a bunch of kids with a supervisor locked into his room. They had Diana, their tutor, too, but she was there for education. Jules brought them together.

As soon as they were allowed to leave the table Emma left. She jogged up the stairs to her room and locked the door. She sat down on the floor, leaning against the door with her face in her hands.

Soon somebody knocked on the door. Before she could ask who it was she could hear Jules' voice.

"Ems?" She stayed quiet. "Emma, I need to talk to you."

Slowly she rose to her feet. "What do you want?"

"Please, open."

Hesitantly she unlocked the door and opened it. Immediately he hugged her there in the doorway. He nuzzled his face into her neck.

"I'm gonna miss you, Ems", he whispered.

"Then don't go."

He backed away and closed the door before he turned back to her. "I need to go." He didn't look at her as he talked. As if he was ashamed by what he had to say. "I know I can try to convince myself that I don't feel that way about you, but I do."

She stepped closer to Jules and put her palms on his cheeks, framing his face. "Jules, I-"

He shook his head. "No, please. Let me just have one night before I leave that I can imagine how it would be if you actually liked me. If you tell me the truth the lie will die."

But she did like him. "I do like you", she whispered.

He closed his eyes and exhaled. "Thank you."

He thought she only agreed with what he'd said.

_Maybe that's for the best_, she thought. _He's going to London. If I tell him now that time we're separated will ruin us both. It's bad enough to be _parabatai_._

She pulled him closer to let their foreheads rest against each other. _Better take advantage of the situation then_, she thought and kissed him. At first he kissed back, but then he backed away, shocked.

"What?" Emma said.

"You don't have to kiss me. I can't take advantage of you that way."

"I thought you wanted me to kiss you."

He got closer and held her hands in his. "I do. You don't know how much I want it, but it's wrong. You shouldn't need to do something only because I want it."

She looked down on her feet and swallowed the words, _but I want it too_. Instead she looked back up at him and smiled. "What about _I_ go make some hot cocoa this time and we'll actually drink it up this time?"

He beamed at her, relieved. "And I can get the blankets."

"They're over there", she said and pointed at the folded blankets in a chair.

"I know, hard work", he joked.

On her way back to her room she met Oscar. He followed her into the room even.

"Hey, Oscar. What are you doing here?" Jules said. He had laid out the blankets over the bed and now he lay under them. Oscar jumped up on the bed to lie next to him.

"I guess he's drawn by your aura of untidiness." She gave him a cup and sat down in the bed with Oscar lying between them.

"Or my striking personality."

"I'll stick to my theory."

Jules sipped on the hot cocoa with a smile on his face. "Just like old days."

She pushed his shoulder gently. "You do sound like an old man."

"My wiseness makes me older."

"Wiseness? Is that even a word?" she asked and raised an eyebrow.

He sipped on the beverage again. There was moustache of chocolate above his upper lip. "Since I'm the wise one I decide that it is."

"Sure."

"Speaking of… nothing really, have you and Cristina become friends?"

"What? We've always been friends and how do you know?"

"I saw you from the roof. And if you consider 'agreeable ignorance' a friendship, then yes, you've always been friends", he said with a pretended serious voice.

"We went to a café, that's it. But she's nice. _Speaking of_, do you and Cristina still have something going on?" She hid her face behind the cup so he wouldn't see that she was blushing.

But he was blushing, she could see it. "No, we don't like each other that way."

"Did something happen?"

He seemed to be considering whether he'd talk or not. "Maybe I'll tell you when I get back from London."

Her mood sank with that sentence. "Why are you going to London?"

"You remember what Malcolm said about those marks? How he'd seen them before? There are some warlocks in London I need to speak to. In the meantime there are three other warlocks in America who are kinda contactable and you can talk to them."

"Magnus Bane, Catarina Loss and Tessa Gray?"

"Exactly."

**Magnus Bane! Oh, he's my favorite among the characters in the books.**

**And Jules is going to London, but I'm not saying for how long. Maybe for two months like Arthur allowed him to, maybe less, maybe longer. **

**Once again, hope you liked the chapter and if there is anything you'd like me to change like Emma's hair isn't blond it's got the colors of the rainbow then comment, please. If she does have that hair color I am so sorry for not writing that.**

**And Happy New Year!**


	16. Chapter 16

They never went to the dining room to eat dinner. Instead they ate sandwiches up in Emma's room. Next morning they had woken up early and prepared for Jules' trip to London. He wanted to bring his whole room, or at least Emma thought so. He packed his watercolors, canvases, papers and brushes. Clothes too.

"You really think that big jacket will be necessary?" he asked Emma.

"It's London you're going to and it's fall. You'll probably need warmer clothes than the L.A. weather require."

"But my brushes won't have enough space."

"Then don't bring your brushes", Emma said as she walked over to his closet to find warmer clothes. He stared shocked after her.

"How can you say that? My brushes feelings will be hurt."

"Okay, go get another bag."

He'd gone to his siblings to ask for another bag a few minutes ago. Emma's only company was now Oscar who enjoyed walking around among bunches of clothes and papers thrown out all over the room.

"You'll have this room all to yourself for some time."

He glared at her and went to a bunch of clothes and lay down on it. His tail kept flipping uneasily.

"You'll miss him, uh? Me too."

Another glare.

"You're one ungrateful cat aren't you? You do know that paint accident all those years ago was an accident."

He practically rolled his eyes.

She shrugged. "Or maybe not."

There was a knock on the door.

"Why does he knock to his own room?" she mumbled to herself as she thought it was Jules. She opened to see Malcolm Fade in the doorway.

"Greetings", he said.

"Welcome", she said awkwardly as she moved to let him in.

"Where's your friend?"

"Jules is away looking for another bag. One bag is apparently not enough." She found a few sweaters and jeans which she packed into Jules' bag.

The door sprang open and an excited Jules came in. "Drusilla had a bag." He almost shoved it in her face to show it.

Gently, she pushed it away and smiled slightly at him. Oh, how she'd miss him. "Malcolm's here."

His eyes finally met the warlock's who'd been standing in the corner.

"Mr. Fade! Do you need any help with the portal?"

Malcolm shook his head calmly. "I've got what I need."

"Great, when can I go?"

"Whenever you're ready."

Emma laughed silently. "Like that'll ever happen."

But after another two hours the portal was ready to be activated and the household was there to say goodbye. Even their tutor Diana who hadn't been seen much lately except for in the training room.

"Who'll take care of us now?" Tavvy asked.

Jules ruffled his hair and smiled kindly at him. "I think Emma and Cristina will love to play with you." He shot a glance in Emma's direction. She shot him a glare back. "Or not, but they'll take care of you. Do as they say, okay?" Tavvy only nodded.

Jules went to Emma the last. For a moment they only looked at each other. The awkwardness from the day before had gone away when they'd talked in Emma's room at night. The old memories of hot cocoa and blankets had neutralized it.

"Your hair is messy", Emma said finally. Jules laughed at that and moved his fingers through his hair only to make it messier.

"Thank you, I'll make sure to fix it."

They hugged each other quickly but held on to each other's right hand.

"Take care", she said seriously.

"You too."

They let go of each other's hands and Jules went over to Malcolm while Emma stood still. It had been a short dialogue, but they were _parabatai_, they knew what the other wanted to say without needing to say it. Although Emma suspected it would be that way even if they weren't. They'd practically lived in the same house all their lives. They'd been best friends since they were children. All there was to say had already been said.

Before he stepped through the portal he turned around and waved slightly. Everybody waved back or said goodbye once again, but Emma could see that Jules looked at her.

And Emma was the only one to not wave back. Because they were _parabatai_, they'd always be connected. No matter the distance.

**A filler, I know, but he has to go to London some time. **

**But still, three days in a row, heh? Okay, okay, I hadn't updated for over a week either, but still.**

**Maybe you think that Jules will no longer be in the story, but no. I'm gonna write in his POV and Emma will talk to him too and he will come back.**

**Hope you aren't too disappointed and hope you liked the chapter even if it was a filler. **


	17. Chapter 17

Everybody was kinda down when he'd gone. Emma decided to go out for a jog to have time to think. She was close to tears and didn't want the others to see it. Maybe she could run up to the park up the hills. There was barely anybody there. No, no, she couldn't plan where to cry. She was strong. She hadn't cried when Jules went through the portal, why now? But this was the first time they had been separated for more than two days since they'd become _parabatai_. She had changed clothes and was ready to go out through the door when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Cristina.

"Mind if I come with you?" she asked.

"No?" She hadn't ever thought about going with somebody else than Jules and he'd only joined a few times.

"Great! I'm gonna go change."

She came back with her hair in a ponytail and black and red training suit.

"Ready?" she said and opened the door motioning for Emma to go out.

Emma jogged out on the sidewalk.

"Are you used to jogging?" she asked Cristina.

"Does running from demons count?"

She shrugged and they started running.

They took Emma's usual route which was mainly in the calmer parts of the city. Trees grew along the roads and the scent of freshly baked cakes came from small cafés.

There was one café which Jules always made them stop by. He said it was because he really liked the cinnamon rolls, but Emma knew it was because he always got tired when they'd got that far. It turned out to become a habit to stop by there. Even when she went alone she stopped for a cinnamon roll. Cristina didn't seem tired yet.

"Wanna stop by a café here?"

"Sure, but won't that ruin the point with going out for a run?" she asked but stopped when Emma did.

The cinnamon scent got stronger as they entered the café. A waitress who Emma knew was called Sonya smiled at them.

"Hello, Emma. A cinnamon roll?" she asked and went behind the counter.

The memories from the café came to the surface and Emma knew the tears would come whether she wanted them or not. "Yes, please. May I just use the bathroom first?"

"Yes, you know where it is."

Emma turned to Cristina. "You can order while I'm away. I'll be right back."

Her feet got faster and faster the closer she got to the bathroom. When she finally got there she closed the door a bit harder than intended and exhaled with relief. She felt drops roll down her cheeks but couldn't admit to herself they were tears. She was strong. But now she needed a moment of weakness. Because nobody can have a wall of stone around its mind all the time. This was her time to let a bit of her wall fall. But it didn't matter. She'd rebuild it later.

She sat down on the floor and tried not to think about the germs in public toilets. Although that café had better toilets than most. That's part of the reason Emma even kept going there because café's quality isn't better than their hygiene according to Emma. They had single toilets which meant she didn't have to risk encountering somebody else while crying.

The realization of Jules who wouldn't live with them for weeks gave her panic and she had to force herself to breathe slower. How could he leave his _parabatai_? How could her leave _her_?

After a while she sighed and stood up. She washed her face in the basin and looked at herself in the mirror. A 17 years old girl. Blond long hair in a braid. Ringlets of loose hair dampened by sweat hanging by her temples. Her eyes were red from crying.

_What a mess. Breathe, Emma, breathe_, she thought to herself.

With a fake smile she went back to Cristina.

"Hey, have you ordered?" Emma asked her.

"Yeah, a cinnamon roll." Emma looked at the big milkshake in her hand and creased her forehead. "Well, I had to order _something_ while waiting for you."

Emma ordered a cinnamon roll for herself and they sat down at table by the big windows with a view over the streets of Los Angeles.

Cristina was quiet, but Emma could see that she was nervous or worried about something.

Emma took one of her twiddling hands in hers. "What's wrong?"

"How can you ask me that now, Emma? Jules has left less than an hour ago."

"He'll come back soon, don't worry."

"You say so? And who was crying in the bathroom a minute ago?"

Emma got a hurt expression. She let go of Cristina's hands and looked down on her own. "I'm just trying to comfort you."

Cristina closed her eyes and breathed slowly. "I'm sorry, that was mean. It's just…I'm new here. Or fairly new at least. Jules was the only one who actually talked to me."

Even if it wasn't directed at her Emma she knew it was her she talked about. "I'm sorry for not talking to you."

"No, it's okay. I haven't been the nicest either. Sorry about the cut on your arm too."

As a reflect Emma looked down on her arm where Cristina had cut her. It hadn't been a deep cut though and an _iratze_ had left her only with the old scar from _Cortana_.

She laughed a little. "It's fine. Yeah, maybe we should start over." She held her out hand and Cristina accepted the gesture.

"Hey, I'm Cristina."

"Hello, I'm Emma. Welcome to Los Angeles."

They got back to the Institute after a few more miles. Even if Emma was from L.A. they'd got lost and ended up running longer than both of them could manage in the heat. They were both exhausted and fell down on the floor right after they'd closed the door.

"This was fun", Cristina said while panting.

"Yeah, it's been long since somebody came with me. Same time tomorrow?"

Cristina laughed at that. "No, way. I'm resting 'til Monday."

"My thought exactly."

That's when the door opened by the wind and a leaf followed it in into the building.

Both of them got up quickly and looked at the leaf lying between them. Emma took it carefully and inspected it. The leaf was a letter and she knew it was from the fey. Only they were that nature loving.

They both read it, Cristina looking over Emma's shoulder.

_To Arthur Blackthorn, head of the Los Angeles Institute. We beseech you once more on a matter of great import. As you know, in past months, the marked mutilated bodies of both our people and yours have been found all around the city of Los Angeles. This is your domain and so once again we humble ourselves before you and ask for aid. After the events of the Dark War, the Fair Folk no longer fall under your protection and the protection of the Accords, but still we hope. It is rare for Faerie to admit itself to be desperate, but we are desperate now. If you will not give us succor, then at least perhaps you will bargain with us. Investigate the deaths of our people and we will grant unto you the return of your nephew, the brother of the children now living in your house. The Wild Hunt does not give back what belongs to it, but we will give Mark Blackthorn back to you. _

_We wait your words. _

"By the angel", Emma whispered to herself.

Cristina took the leaf in her hands and looked at it as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "There have been mutilated bodies in the city? And Arthur knows? A certain Blackthorn has some explaining to do."

**For those who'd hoped for Emma tears in the last chapter, here they are. ;) **

**Back to school! School started again this Thursday for me. Only two days until the weekend though. Hope you've had a good Christmas and New Year's Eve.**


	18. Chapter 18

"Come in", Arthur said as they stood before him in the attic. He looked down on a paper he was writing on. Not looking at them once. After all, years of living together made you recognize the pace of the household.

"We're already here", Cristina said confused.

Emma gave her a look that told her to be quiet. Then she turned to Arthur. "A letter came for you."

"From whom, may I ask?" He looked up and met her stare. "And have you read it?"

"It wasn't a normal letter exactly. Not from one of your old friends, but from the fey."

Arthur's expression barely changed, but that was another thing about living together, you recognized the changes in one another's face. He was annoyed. Because they'd read it or because of who it was from, Emma did not know.

He sighed and looked down on his paper again. "They want our help, don't they?"

"Yes, and with what exactly?" Emma asked.

"My guess would be the dead bodies found in town."

"How many?"

"Three shadowhunters, three humans and four fairies."

"And why do we not know this?" Emma walked over to his desk and leaned over it with her palms lying on the surface. "We are shadowhunters. We are meant to be fighting those who are doing this."

"Emma, we can't."

"Why?" Cristina asked from behind Emma. "Why can't we fight them? They killed shadowhunters."

"The Clave has forbidden me to look further in the matter. They'll handle it themselves."

"But we're like The Clave's ambassadors", Emma argued. "We haven't even had a chance to do anything."

"Please, Emma and Cristina." Arthur looked up at the two of them. "Believe me when I say I've done everything I can to give this mission to us."

"But clearly they haven't done anything themselves since bodies are still lying around begging for somebody to avenge them", Emma snarled.

"Emma, don't do anything. I don't know what The Clave will do if you disobey their orders, but from my experience it's nothing good. Now, you may leave."

"But we-", Cristina started, but Emma stopped her.

"Don't."

They walked in the direction of their rooms, but when they were to part Cristina grabbed her arm.

"When you've changed your clothes, you'll come straight to me, right?"

"Why?"

"We're friends, can't we hang out?" she said and left.

Emma took a shower and put on new clothes. Jeans and t-shirt, just as she liked it. Her hair hang down her back in a braid. Jules used to tug at it asking why she didn't cut it since she always complained about it being impractical. But she couldn't. Her mom used to do the braid when she was young.

She remembered one day when they'd sat on the beach a whole day. Her mom made new braids over and over again. Different braid every time. Back then she hadn't had that nervous feeling about the sea. But then, her parents hadn't died in it back then.

Her dad had come to look for them as the sun begun to set. He'd thought something had happened to them. She remembered how he'd come running and had been hugging them for several minutes whispering in their ears how happy he was they were unharmed. She'd told him he was silly. Why would anything bad happen to them?"

_She could feel her mother's finger against her scalp. Her eyes were closed enjoying this time. She could hear her mother's steady breath behind her. Nothing to worry about. She was 11._

_ "__Have you talked to Jules today?" her mother asked._

_ "__Yes, this morning, when we were training. Or, well, when I was training. I can't believe he doesn't wanna train. He keeps sneaking out. I always find him somewhere painting."_

_Her mother chuckled. "Well, everybody aren't as serious about their training as you, Ems."_

_ "__That could be good, since I'm aiming for becoming the best."_

_ "__Yes, but a good shadowhunter always needs a good fighting partner."_

_ "__Okay, I'll tell him to train more", Emma said as a conclusion._

_ "__I don't think he desires to train more. He's good at some things, like being your friend. That's good for a shadowhunter too. But you could be his good fighting partner. Look out for him."_

_ "__I'm always looking out for him. The other day, he almost broke a vase, but I caught it before it hit the floor."_

_ "__That's good, but it's not always the things that you can see you need to protect somebody from, but the things that you can't."_

_ "__What do you mean?" Emma asked._

_Her mother answered by pecking the top of her head._

_That's when she saw her father running towards them. _

Emma twiddled with the braid as she went to Cristina's room.

Cristina was in her room with a towel around her head. When Emma went in there she realized she hadn't been there since Cristina's first day in the Institute. Okay, once more, when she needed clothes to go out with Dylan. But she'd been so nervous then and didn't really look around. On Cristina's first day Emma had been the one to show her around. Diana had given her that responsibility, probably because she wanted them to become friends Emma suspected. It'd probably would have worked if she hadn't been so jealous.

But the room wasn't as she remembered it with dark walls and dusty windowsills.

Cristina had cleaned the room and put a lamp in a corner. The walls were covered by posters of some people Emma had seen on posters in the city. She even suspected the wall underneath had been painted white like the rest of them. On the windowsill there were candles which made the room smell like lavender.

"Long since you've been here", Cristina said as she saw Emma take everything in.

"It's changed."

"Yeah, it was kinda dusty and old before. But you've changed yours too over the years, I guess."

Cristina sat down in a bean bag she'd put in one corner. There was another one which Emma sat down in. She almost fell over at first since she wasn't prepared for the balance change.

"I've changed it a bit, but not this much", Emma answered. She'd changed the beddings.

"I probably miss my old room a bit", she said and shrugged. "Anyway, are you gonna do something about bodies the fey wrote about?"

"I don't know…"

"Well, I know you don't have the best relation with the fey, but don't you think it's a pretty good reward?"

Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "Mark isn't a thing to reward someone with. He's the Blackthorns' big brother."

"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. What I meant is if you have the chance to get Mark back, wouldn't you do anything you were asked to do, even if it meant working with them?" Cristina looked at her until she answered.

"Yes", she said defeated.

Cristina rose to her feet and went to her closet. "Then we better start working."

Emma followed her. "What?"

"I know you and Jules have been looking for something. And not only the ravener that attacked you. You also had those weird pictures of those marks on your desk. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I guess you've already started this investigation."

"I've got some information…"

Cristina shrugged on a red jacket. "That's always a good start."

**Okay, I changed the cover again. I had one with only Eliza Taylor on before. On the new one there's Matt Lanter, Maite Perroni and Eliza Taylor. **

**Hope you liked the chapter and I thought about doing the next chapter in Jules' POV…**


	19. Chapter 19

As soon as he stepped out of the portal he felt the ache to go back, but he couldn't. He needed to be in London. If not because of the case, but because he needed – no matter how clichéd it sounded – time to think. He liked Emma, he liked her too much.

And now he was there, in the London Institute. There was so much to look at he almost became dizzy. The ceiling rose up and almost disappeared. Tapestries hung down the walls decorated with swords, stars and runes like the ones he wore on his body. If he didn't know better he'd think he'd come to a castle.

Not until he looked straight ahead did he see the Institute's shadowhunters. Seven shadowhunters. Three were about his age, two girls, one boy. A woman about 40 introduced them and herself.

"Hello, you must be Julian", she said and smiled brightly. She had long brown hair and small barrettes with stars on pinned it back. "I am Catherina, you may call me Cate. These are my daughters, Lizzy and Adriana." She stood between the two girls. Adriana looked a bit older than Jules, but not much, maybe a year or so. Lizzy was smaller than her sister, so much smaller. Not like she looked like a child. Her proportions were like any 16 years old or so, only in a smaller size. Lizzy had Cate's hair and you could see which one of the men was Adriana's father. They both had broad shoulders and eyes with an expression that said you shouldn't mess with them. Both of them had straight blond hair. Adriana's hair went to her shoulders and was so light that it moved even when she breathed.

Now Cate stood beside who Jules had guessed was her husband. "And this is Leopold Nightwhite, head of the Institute." He nodded slightly at Jules. Cate thereafter went over to the other two adults. "This is Malena and Jeffrey Silvertree. They are the tutors here."

They looked a little younger than the Nightwhite parents. Maybe about 30. Malena kept holding Jeffrey's left hand as he used his other one to shake Jules right hand.

Cate went to the last boy. "And this is Isaac." He had black hair that reminded Jules of Ty's. Isaac stood with his arms crossed and looked down at his feet.

Jeffrey went closer to Jules and lay an arm around his shoulders, still with Malena's hand in the other hand. "So, what about a tour?"

Jules was surprised by the sudden weight and would have fallen, if it wasn't for Isaac who stood close by and helped him straighten up. Jules mumbled a "thanks".

"Isaac, don't you want to tag along?" Cate asked.

He shook his head and left before anybody could argue.

Cate shrugged apologetically.

Jeffrey had shown him the important parts of the Institute, still with Malena. He couldn't show the whole institute since it was really big. He had warned Jules not to go on any adventures in the building, it was as good as impossible not to get lost if you hadn't been there before.

Jules' uncle, Arthur, had been the head of the Institute before Leopold. He had said a few things about it and written about it when he still lived there. Jules didn't remember to have visited, but he probably had. But he'd never imagined it to be this big. The Los Angeles Institute was big too. He remembered getting lost there as child and decided to remember Jeffrey's warning.

Jules had also seen that the seven shadowhunters he'd met there yet weren't the only ones. Apparently the London Institute was one of the places where shadowhunters had fled to during and after the Dark War. At least 30 people were there, but Jeffrey had told him most of those who had fled there had moved into their own houses since the war had ended five years ago. Those who were left were too scared to leave or too poor, some had found their place in the Institute, and then there were the orphans.

Cate had founded a nursery on the ground floor where those who were left took turn to take care of the children. Jeffrey and Malena took care of the older ones. Those who were ready to train. They had about 10 children excluding the Nightwhites and Isaac.

Jules sat on the floor in his room after the tour, unpacking his bags. The closet was full of sweaters and warm jackets. If somebody had seen it they would have thought he was there for a ski trip.

The watercolors and canvases lay on a desk by the window. The room was bigger than the room he had at home. It was dimly lit which made it feel warmer than it was. Jules guessed he would need the clothes Emma had convinced him to bring.

_Emma_. His whole body ached when he thought of her. They wouldn't see each other tomorrow, or the day after that. Never had they been apart this long.

Jules hit the floor from anger with himself. His knuckles started bleeding but he didn't notice, he kept hitting the floor.

He didn't stop until the door opened. By then his knuckles and fingers of both hands were bleeding and his eyes were red from crying.

On the doorstep stood Isaac. His black hair darkened all of his features. His eyes, cheekbones and even his whole appearance. When he stood there Jules felt as if the room had gone dark.

Without a word or a simple "hi" Isaac sat down next to Jules and held his hands in his own. He stood up and got something from the desk drawer and sat back down with Jules. He had a first aid kit with bandages with him which he started bandaging Jules' hands with.

"Thanks", Jules mumbled. He was still gulping from tears.

Isaac nodded but didn't talk or even look away from his hands working with the bandages.

"Did you hear me? You know before…when I was doing this?" Jules said nodding at his hands.

Isaac nodded again.

Jules tried to wipe away his tears with one hand, but Isaac stopped him before he could ruin his bandages. Instead he gave him a part of another bandage.

Jules mumbled a quiet "thanks" again.

When Isaac was done with both of Jules' hands he stood up to leave, but Jules took his hand and made him sit back down.

"You won't tell anybody, right?" Jules asked and raised an eyebrow.

Isaac didn't meet his eyes but shook his head.

"Why aren't you talking to me?"

Isaac gave him an estimating look before he smiled slightly and said; "I don't talk to anybody."

Jules grinned but turned serious just as quickly. "You know I didn't mean to hurt myself?"

"So it didn't reach your mind that if you kept hitting the floor with your already bloody hands they would break?"

"I was angry. And they didn't break. By the way, why didn't you just give me an _iratze_?"

He avoided his gaze once again. "I only use _iratzes_ if the wounds are given in fight."

This time Jules looked away, ashamed. "I was angry."

"I know. Just don't let it happen again." This time Isaac rose to his feet and Jules let him go.

**Oh, I don't really know how to feel about this chapter :/ . It's a filler, and more of an introduction to the shadowhunters in the London Institute than anything else. I'm gonna make more Jules' POV without destructive endings like this one****, I'm sorry about this ending****. I'm not gonna make Jules self-harm, I promise.**

**The families in this chapter are new. Isaac is the only who has a relative who is mentioned in earlier books. Not somebody you remember maybe, but I wanted to have somebody from the books in the London Institute. I tried to do a little research, but I couldn't find who lived in there now so I came up with my own. **

**Hope you liked the chapter even if it was a filler and had a destructive ending.**


	20. Chapter 20

Emma and Cristina had started with collecting the books that Jules had found in the library. Emma couldn't understand it. That had only been a week or two ago. It hadn't even been a day since he'd gone. Time passed slowly.

Now they sat at a café, Cristina sipping at a cup of coffee. Emma was too stressed up to drink or eat. They were there to meet one from the fey.

"Relax, Emma. It's not like they are gonna kill you", Cristina said.

Emma glared at her. "That _did not_ help."

To top it all, her _parabatai_ rune kept aching, probably because of the distance that brought the longing.

"Just saying…" Cristina took another sip. The sun wasn't as warming as before, but Emma suspected it was warmer than in London. _He better thank me when he comes back,_ she thought to herself. Cristina and Emma sat there in jackets, t-shirts and jeans. Cristina wore a red jacket made out of cotton. The color matched the strand in her hair. She had a red strand that contrasted to the rest of the jet black hair.

"When do you think he'll be here?" Cristina asked.

"How do I know?"

"You were the one to contact them."

"Throwing a letter out through your window isn't the same as 'contacting'", Emma said.

"But it worked", said a voice behind them. They turned around to see a young woman with big blue eyes. That was the first thing that Emma noticed. Then it was the blond hair, not blond like Emma's, but close to white. "And for your information", the faerie said and looked at Cristina", I'm a 'she'."

Cristina shrugged and only mumbled something as an answer.

Emma rose to her feet and Cristina did the same.

"We're here to hear what you know about the bodies", Emma said.

"So, you've decided to help us?" she snorted.

Emma rolled her eyes, but fought the urge to punch her in the face. "We want Mark back."

"That could be arranged."

"You wrote in the letter that was a part of the deal."

"And we keep our promises, don't we?" the faerie implied.

This time Emma was the one to snort. She started to lose her act as calm and Cristina stepped in instead. "Give us your promise that we'll get Mark back and we'll see what we can do."

The faerie seemed to calculate pros and cons and sighed when she'd finally reached her answer. Emma suspected she'd come here with everything planned which made herself feel unprepared.

"_I promise_", she said with emphasis, "that if you find out who are killing the fey and bring them to us we will give you Mark Blackthorn. Happy?"

"Not really", Emma muttered, "but it'll be fine for now."

"Thank you for your cooperation", the faerie said and went.

Cristina had to grab Emma's arm to keep her from running after her and prosecute her thought about punching her before.

"It's not worth it", she said softly.

"'Thank you for your cooperation'", Emma imitated. "If it wasn't for her so called promise I'd run after her and kick her-"

"Emma, stop it!"

"Eh, you know I won't do it", she said and started walking home, "now."

"Emma!"

Emma laughed and Cristina punch her lightly on the shoulder. "You're impossible, Emma. You know that, right?"

"I know that."

**FILLER! I'm sorry for writing another filler. If I say I won't write a filler next time, will you believe me? No?**

**Eh, I don't know if I'll believe myself. But I'll try to.**

**I haven't written chapter 21 yet so if you want to you can comment whether you want it in Emma's POV or Jules' POV.**

**Today I've got a math test. ****Una ****prueba****de ****matematica. Ett matteprov. Ugh, but at least I like math****, when I don't have to show the teacher how much I can't answer****. **

**Goodbye fanfiction!**

**Hello school! **

**Seriously those two need to become one thing, one big fandom school...**

***dreaming* **


	21. Chapter 21

**Jules POV**

Jules went to the dining room a few nights after the incident with the hitting and the bandages. He'd excused himself from the lunches and dinners by saying he had homesickness. He _did_ have homesickness, if it hadn't been for the bandages that had been the only reason. Nevertheless he didn't want the others to have preconceptions about him. The room was full of people. Children and adults. Cate gave him a small child to hold in his arms. No explanation only that her name was Rebecca but he was grateful for the chance to hide his hands.

The child couldn't be older than 14 months, younger than any of his siblings. But they'd been that small once. He could never forget how to take care of a child. He remembered his siblings as heavier at that age though.

"You like children?" a voice muttered behind him. He spun around and saw the dark haired boy, Isaac.

"Isaac!"

"You like children?" he repeated.

"I have four younger siblings." Rebecca was quiet and looked for eye contact from Jules. "Why is she so small?"

"She's a baby." He looked at Jules as if he was stupid.

"No, I mean, she barely weighs anything." Jules never looked away from her eyes.

"She lost her parents a month ago. Since then she's barely eaten anything."

Jules felt sorry for her. He'd gone through it twice. When his mother died and when his father died. No, his father. He couldn't think about his father now.

"What am I supposed to do with her?" Jules asked and looked desperately after Cate.

"Try to give her some mashed potatoes or something I guess", Isaac said and shrugged. On the long table in the room were plates of fish, sauce, and mashed potatoes.

"Fish?" Jules wrinkled his nose.

"Not a fan of fish? I thought you lived by the sea."

That was the problem. The smell followed him all day at home. On the other hand it was kinda comforting now that he wasn't home. Like a reminder of what home was. _Don't be so sentimental, Jules, you haven't even been gone for a week_, he thought to himself.

"It's okay."

It was when he thought of home he remembered, why hadn't Emma called back? Jules had tried to contact her since then. Her phone had been turned off. Maybe she'd lost it. Like everybody else, she could forget where she put things.

Or maybe she had more important things to do.

He'd felt ever since they'd become _parabatai_ that he was the one who needed her and not the other way around. After all, Jules had been the one to ask her to become _parabatai. _She'd needed a reason to stay in Los Angeles, she took it. Emma was always ambitious and wanted to become the best shadowhunter, Jules wanted to paint.

He sighed heavily and felt his whole body ache. He couldn't stay in this room. Before Isaac could argue Jules gave Rebecca over to him and ran up the stairs to his room.

Once he got there he lunged to his phone.

No messages

No messages. Again he tried to call her phone.

Her comforting voice answered on the other end. "Hello, you've reached to Emma Carstairs. I'm either unavailable or I don't wanna talk to you." A soft laugh. "If you have anything to say, say it after the _beeeeeeep_."

Beep.

He fell down on his bed and exhaled. Why couldn't she call back?!

As if on cue, the phone called. He dived after it.

_Home_ is calling

He answered before another signal could ring.

"Hello?!"

"Why haven't you called me?" Emma shouted in his ear so loudly he had to take it away from his ear.

"Hello?" Jules said again.

"You haven't called _once_, Julian."

What? He'd called several times. "I _have_ called you. On your cellphone."

She was quiet for a second, only for a second, he didn't need to call the hospital just yet. "Oh. That thing's not charged."

Typical Emma. She always forgot. There'd been several times when he'd thought something had happened to her, all because she couldn't remember to charge it.

"I thought you didn't wanna talk." He couldn't help but feel a little happy that his _parabatai_ had called him for once and she didn't even know he'd called her. He gulped. _She'll think I'm crazy when she turns on her phone again and sees all of the missed calls_, he thought.

"You've been away for four days, Jules. That's like ages ago." He could imagine her arm gestures as she talked. Arms which looked like they'd hit something only because she got so frustrated every time she talked.

"But I _did_ call you. What's the matter?" he asked.

She was quiet again. "Nothing, I guess."

"Then can I ask you, how are you?"

"That's a lame question!" she shouted and once again he had to take away the phone from his ear.

"It's an opening question", he sighed.

"Sorry", she muttered. "I'm good. You?"

"Okay, miss my family though." He looked at a picture he'd put up on a wall. It was of the Los Angeles Institute with all of those who lived there in front of it.

"And me?"

He laughed softly. "I always miss the ones I love and can't be with."

Silence met him on the other end. Suddenly he realized his mistake. "No, no! I don't mean I love you…like a girlfriend…because you're my _parabatai_…but 'love' like a _parabatai_." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Emma. Bye."

He ended the call and lay down his bed and closed his eyes. _Stupid, stupid!_ he thought.

_Riiiiing, riiiiing. _Like last time he dived after the phone. Again it was _home_ calling.

"Emma?!"

"Jules, please come home soon. I miss you too."

Beep.

**It's not the longest chapter but it still took some time to write it. I had an essay that had to be turned in today and I have needed to work with it this whole week, uuuugh! It needed to be about revenge and let me say, I really want give back some revenge. Never again!**

**It was awful, if you didn't understand by my recent statements.**

**At least I got to take a break and go watch an opera yesterday. It was really fun, but those who I were there with fell asleep. Probably not something they would do if they could choose. **

**At the end of chapter 19 I wrote you could vote for which POV I would write from. I had to keep writing and wrote from Emma's POV even though you later voted for Jules. Sorry about that. Now, this chapter was from Jules POV.**

**Bye, bye.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Jules POV**

_I miss you too_.

_I miss you too._

The thought had tormented Jules ever since Emma had hung up. What did she mean?

He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Startled he sat up straight on the edge of his bed.

Two girls entered before he got the chance to let them in himself.

Lizzy and Adriana, the Nightwhite sisters. They'd come to his room with food the last couple of days. Lizzy was there to talk too. She was one year younger than him while Adriana was 19. Adriana used to stand next to her sister with arms crossed waiting for her to finish talking.

This time Lizzy brought a tray with the food that Jules had seen in the dining room – or hall more likely.

Fish and potatoes.

"Hello, Julian", Lizzy giggled. _Giggled_. Never talked. That habit went along with wrinkling her nose like she was chronical disgusted. Giggling and wrinkling. Adriana…well, Jules wasn't sure she actually had any habits other than crossing her arms.

"Hi, sorry I couldn't make it to dinner", he said with his hands behind his back.

"You can still make it if you want to. We haven't eaten yet. You can join us."

"Thanks, but I think I'll stay here tonight, maybe tomorrow."

Lizzy wrinkled her nose. "Okay. Look for us if you change your mind." She gave him the tray of food. Adriana had taken a seat in the armchair by the window, waiting for Lizzy's talk. She didn't disappoint her. "Have you seen Antonia's new little brother yet? He's gorgeous!" _Gorgeous? _"I'm gonna help them take care of him, since I'm friends with Antonia. She's really nice." Jules listened to her even if he had no idea who Antonia was. "The other day we went to Oxford Street. Have you been there yet? We could take the bus there sometime-"

She was interrupted when somebody knocked on the door. Once again the guest let himself in. This time it was Isaac. His hair was messy and his eyes tired, like normal then. He still held Rebecca in his arms. Adriana rose to her feet and grabbed her sister by the elbow before she let themselves out.

Isaac grinned behind them like she was amused by the way Adriana reacted to him.

Jules was surprised. "What did she do that for?"

"She doesn't like me", he answered shortly that made it clear it was nothing Jules could go any further with.

"Has she eaten anything?" Jules asked instead and nodded at Rebecca.

Isaac sat down in the armchair Adriana had sat in only a moment before and played with the child's tiny fingers.

"She got stressed by the crowd and I had to leave."

Isaac smiled when Rebecca caught his pinkie finger. His features which Jules had seen as dark had lightened up. He looked like the 16 years old he was, and a happy one.

"She can take some of mine." He went over with the tray with food.

Jules tried to give her a spoonful of mashed potatoes but she refused it.

"Let me try", Isaac said and took some on his index finger and gave it to her. She ate it. He laughed proudly. "She's eating."

He kept giving her more potatoes until she once again turned her head away.

"You did it, Isaac", Jules said.

"I know." The pride eased fast and the smile had lost its brightness.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Isaac looked up at him, startled. "Uh, nothing."

"Why are you sad?"

He shrugged. "She reminds me of my little sister."

Jules hadn't seen his family yet he realized. "Does she live here too?"

"Yes", he mumbled. Once again Jules felt like there was something he didn't tell him but it wasn't worth it to push it any further.

Rebecca ate some more before she fell asleep half an hour later. Isaac fell asleep in the chair only a moment after her. Jules considered if he should move them over to the bed or not, but decided not to. He didn't want to risk to wake either of them. Instead he lay a blanket over them and went to sleep in the bed himself.

He woke up later when the sun was gone and the moon up. It hadn't even been 5 when he fell asleep. He didn't know why he'd suddenly woken up until he heard somebody knock on his door.

_Why my door? There are a thousand doors in this place, but they have to go here._

He rose to his feet and went to open the door. The first thing he saw was hair. Green hair. Lots of it.

Cate stood in front of it. "Hello, Julian, I must have lost you in the crowd before, but I intended to introduce you to somebody." She stepped to the side. The green hair had a face. A beautiful face. She was a young woman. Not older than 25. Her features were sharp and light instead of dark like Isaac's. From it all came the hair, dark, green and curly. "This is Violeta Blanca." Sense of humor. Check.

"Buenos dias", she mumbled.

"She's from Spain, but has been staying in London for some time now."

Jules looked over at Isaac and Rebecca who were still asleep. They shifted anxiously in their sleep. "May we talk somewhere else?"

Cate saw the two of them and nodded agreeing. She led them to another bedroom close by.

Jules closed the door behind them. Something was carved into the wood of the door. A quote Jules guessed.

The room itself was like the others. Dimly lit and furnishing consisting of a bed, desk and chair. Some books were spread over the floor.

Jules sat down in the bed, Violeta sat in the chair while Cate remained standing. As if Violeta wanted to contrast all the color in her hair she wore black jeans and a white blouse, just like anybody else. The lack of color in her clothes made the hair impossible not to look at.

"Violeta, here", Cate started, "has visited us from time to time. She's a warlock you see and I heard you wanted to talk to some warlocks in London."

"That explains the-", Jules began and nodded at Violeta's hair.

Violeta smiled sarcastically. "The hair, yes." Cough, cough. "Estúpido."

"Hey!"

Cate rolled her eyes before she continued. "I thought you might want to ask her some questions and she has agreed to it too."

Jules glanced at the warlock. She did have peculiar hair. He shook his head to get his mind off the hair. "Oh, okay." He turned on his phone which he'd brought in case _somebody_ would call again. He opened some photos. "These are marks which were found on some shadowhunters' bodies a few years ago."

Violeta took the phone and studied the photos. She furrowed her eyebrows. "Who were they?"

"John and Cordelia Carstairs, shadowhunters as I said before."

"How long ago?"

"Five years."

She gave the phone back. "Never seen it before."

Oh, he did _not_ believe her. "You're sure?"

She only nodded. "Cate, you may leave. I'm just gonna give, Jules here, some other warlocks' names."

"Okay, goodnight", she said and left the room.

Jules was left alone in the room with the warlock.

"You're a pretty bad liar, Miss Blanca."

She shrugged as she still sat in the chair. "You don't care as long as you choose to believe it." The lisp at the s's hinted of her Spanish roots.

"Where have you seen those marks before?"

"Julian", she said and leaned forward, "you should let it go."

"Where have you seen them?"

"You won't make it out alive."

Jules stood up and went over to her. "Where have you seen them?"

She stood up to meet his gaze. "You will _die_, Julian."

"Please, Violeta. I need to know this", he pleaded.

She exhaled with her whole body. "Why?" He tried to keep a poker face, but almost immediately did her face lighten up. "For your love."

"What? No?" He gestured frantically with his arms just like Emma used to do. You can't live with somebody for so long without picking up habits. "I'm doing this for my _parabatai_. She needs to know who killed her parents."

"Does she know how you feel about her?"

He walked over to the door. "If you won't help me, I'll leave."

She frowned and her lips were hinting a smile. Like she couldn't believe what he just said. "That's the worst threat I've ever heard and I'm 118 years." This time it was his time to frown. She didn't look older than 25. Jules could never figure out a warlock's age. "You're the one who wants help. Not me."

He opened the door. "Then I'll leave." Right before he left he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around.

She sighed, defeated. "Okay, I'll help. On my terms."

"Depends what the terms are", he said and crossed his arms.

"_I'll_ kill those who are doing this." She held out a hand.

He took it. "Done."

**A looooong chapter this time. I think it's the longest one this far. Yay. But then, my chapters are either 1300 words or 400 words. Barely anything in between. **

**Feels like I write this every time, but hope you liked the chapter.**

**Now to something different. Know what we had in school yesterday? A LOVE day! I was not happy and felt everything except love towards school. It was a day consisting of awkward silence. Oh, but one thing was fun. A friend and I both like The 100 (TV series) and (if somebody's watching the show, or intend to, don't read this, it's not that much of a spoiler, but just in case) there was a corner where you could write your love messages. We wrote "Revive Bellarke" (which is a ship), (it's not as much of a spoiler as it sounds). I don't think that was the point of the corner. Well, you have to make the best out of it. *shrugs innocently* Let me just say we were practically the only ones who'd declared their love to fandoms. **

**If you don't already, go watch The 100 right now! After you read this fanfic+comment, follow and favorite it?**

**¡Adios! **


	23. Chapter 23

**Emma's POV**

She and Cristina had spent the last couple of days in the library. All to find information which was impossible to find. Possibly because it didn't exist.

On the fourth day's morning Emma had called Jules and had meant to ask him if he'd found anything. Turned out that was harder than expected. Cristina had stood nearby and waited for Emma. She'd waited for Emma to ask him for info. When the call ended she didn't ask why she hadn't asked. Emma suspected she knew more than Emma had thought. Cristina had just smiled comforting and followed her out of the house.

At the gate Emma had turned right and Cristina had stopped her.

"Emma, we aren't going swimming."

Emma looked forward as if in a daze. She saw she'd turned to the ocean. She shook her head to find concentration.

"Yeah, right." She turned back and walked beside Cristina. "Where are we going?"

Cristina laughed. "You're serious? We planned this yesterday." She looked at Emma to find some remembrance. Nothing. She sighed and continued. "We're going to Tessa and Jem."

Now she remembered. "Oh, you know where they live?"

"No, but you know. All I know is that they don't live in the ocean. What did Jules say? Did he say something wrong? You've seemed 'gone' ever since you guys talked."

"No", Emma said and smiled reassuring. "He said nothing wrong."

Emma had visited Tessa and Jem several times over the years. Ever since they'd moved to LA after their wedding. Jules had always gone with her though. This was the first time she went there without him or any of the Blackthorn children. The house was placed on high hills with the nature as neighbor. Still it wasn't too far away from the Institute. The house was made in bricks and had a country style over it.

Before they knocked Tessa opened the door.

"Hello, Emma! And friend."

"This is Cristina", Emma said.

They could hear Jem call from the kitchen. "Who is it?"

"Emma and Cristina", Tessa answered. She stepped aside to give them space to come in. "Long since I saw you."

"I know, but we're here now."

They came into the kitchen where Jem was making tea. "Hello, Emma and Cristina. Earl Grey?"

Before they answered he poured up the tea in 4 cups. They sat down at the table. Church their blue furred cat lied under the table and was obviously disturbed when Emma bumped her foot against him. Cristina looked around in the room. It was different from the Institute. Tessa and Jem's house was mainly inspired by the UK. Brick walls, tea pots and a small British flag hanging on one wall. Jem still had the British accent, but Tessa who Emma knew had grown up in the US had the American one even though she had an old tone to it. Emma always felt like she'd traveled back in time when she talked to them. They had all those stories that when they told them they seemed to have taken place last week when in reality it was 100 years ago.

"Are you here to be friendly or is there something wrong?" Tessa asked.

"That didn't sound very nice, Tessa. Just because they haven't been here for a while it doesn't mean something has to be wrong", Jem said.

"Actually, we are here to ask you about something", Emma said warily. Tessa gave Jem a meaning look and he rolled his eyes in response. "Cristina, can you give them the photos?"

Cristina handed the photos to Tessa who immediately got a cautious expression. "Emma…", she said and carefully gave them to Jem who got the same expression. "Please, don't look any further into this."

"Tessa, please, everybody says the same-"

Tessa interrupted her. "You've showed them to somebody else?" She looked scared and worried. Emma felt she'd done something wrong.

"Yes, to Jules and Malcolm Fade. Jules is in the UK right now to look after somebody who knows."

"Jules is in another country?!" Jem practically shouted. Tessa patted him on the shoulder to calm him down. "Emma, you can't let your _parabatai_ go to _another country_. You need to be close to each other."

"He needed to go."

"Bring him home, Emma", Tessa said, "and stop worrying about the marks."

Cristina talked for the first time then, and she wasn't happy. "Tessa, stop telling her to do things. She needs to do this. You don't know why Jules went, but I know and if I think it was wrong or not is none of my business neither is it yours. Now, please, help us with this."

Tessa and Jem looked at each other. Jem was the first one to look away.

"Come with me."

He got up from his chair and led them into the living room and then into a small room with a door hidden in the brick wall. The room was like any other room used as a small library.

"What is this place?" Emma asked.

"Books only the Silent Brothers and the warlocks know of."

"And only they should know of them." Tessa had appeared in the doorway. Emma had thought she'd stayed behind in the kitchen.

Jem's eyes searched the books and found the one he was looking for. "This one. Read this and it will lead you further and when Tessa realizes she needs to help you she will explain what you doesn't understand."

He gave Emma an old brown book. It was dusty and she could only get a hint of what had once stood written on the front. _For id en r nes_. "Forbidden runes?"

"That's why you shouldn't have it", Tessa said. "It's forbidden even for those whose book that is."

"Go home, read it when nobody sees. Keep it hidden", Jem said and lead them back out from the room.

At the door Jem whispered for only Emma to hear. "Get Jules back home. Trust me, I know what it's like to be apart from a _parabatai_ and it never results in something good."

"But what if it results in something worse if he's here?"

"It's never worse than to be apart."

**Short chapter! Why do I always use exclamation marks? It's not like I'm shouting everything. **

**Tessa and Jem! And Church! **

**Long since I wrote Emma's POV. You know when I wrote I'd written from the wrong POV in chapter 21 or something…I didn't write in the wrong POV! ****J****I must have seen something wrong. Anyway, I don't know why I wrote that maybe because I'm happy I did something right. Yay!**

**It was kind of a filler this time. I just wanted to get Tessa and Jem into the story. There are some more characters I'm gonna introduce, mainly new.**

**Bye, bye!**


	24. Chapter 24

They got back to the Institute and up to Emma's room without getting noticed. Emma didn't understand what Jem had been thinking when he'd said the book mustn't be seen. It was a big ass book according to Emma. Out of all places they hid it in Emma's closet. Among her socks.

"You don't think they will see it like disrespectful?" Cristina asked carefully. "It is an old book. Personally, I would have got quite angry if you put me among your socks. Nothing personal."

"Then you're lucky you aren't a book." Emma closed the closet and stood up straight. "They can't just assume I have a suite ready and a waiter waiting with a bottle of Bordeaux from -61."

"But can't they assume you have a bookcase at least?"

"And reveal it to the whole wide world? No, thank you."

Emma went over to her phone which she'd left on her desk and hadn't even thought about for days.

No battery

"Yeah, I came to that conclusion too", she muttered to no one.

She put it on charge.

Cristina sat down in a chair. "So what now?"

"What?"

"Where are we gonna go from here?"

A knock on the door stopped her from answering. Octavian and Livvy opened the door without waiting for Emma to. Ty stood in the back and seemed totally uninterested. The others looked like they'd run for miles.

"Have you seen Dru?!" they shouted in not so much a choir. Emma managed to make out the words anyway.

"No, why?"

"She hasn't been home for over two hours", Octavia answered.

"You mean as _away_ away?"

Livvy looked at her as if she tried to figure out if she was truly stupid or not. "She hasn't been in the Institute."

"Okay, wait another hour and if she isn't home by then come back to me. Tell me if you find her too."

They disappeared out into the hallway again.

In that moment Emma's phone started beeping from missed calls and texts.

She checked it.

22 missed call(s) and 14 message(s) from _Jules_

She laughed out loud.

"What?" Cristina asked and stood up to look over her shoulder. "_22_? Really? He sure has a soft spot for you, girl."

"We're _parabatai_. We look out for each other."

3 missed call(s) and 4 message(s) from _Dylan_

"Dylan? You two are still a thing?"

"We're not a thing. We like each other."

"Emma, you're basically repeating the things you said about Jules."

She ignored her and read the messages from Dylan instead.

Emma! Sorry for the abrupt goodbye this Monday. Wanna go out some time this week?

Hey, my band plays this Sunday at _Venue_ _45_. Wanna come?

Long time, no see? What about picking you up at 7:30 pm this Sunday?

Sorry for being so clingy...

"What's _Venue_ _45_?" Emma asked.

"Emma, you really need to go out more."

"What?"

Cristina sat back down in her chair and sighed. "It's a club where bands play."

"Oh, what day is it today?"

"Sunday."

"Do you think I should go?"

"Emma, you can do whatever you want, unless it gives me any disadvantages."

She sat down in her bed and looked at Cristina. "You wanna help me pick out some clothes?"

"You're hopeless."

An hour later when the chosen clothes lied spread out over the bed Dru knocked and went in. "Hey, guys. The others asked me to go here to you I am alright and no giant snake has eaten me." She waited a moment. "I do not know why a giant snake would eat me."

"Because you're so _cute_", Cristina said and pinched her cheek.

"That made no sense."

"Thank you for telling us, Dru", Emma said, "but where were you?"

"I went out to drink coffee." She looked down on her feet.

"Alone?"

She nodded. Both Cristina and Emma could see how she blushed though.

Cristina jumped excited. "Who? Who?"

Dru looked up at her as if she was an alien. "What? I was alone."

"Don't care about her, Dru. If you say you were alone I believe you", Emma said.

"Thanks. Can I go now?"

"Yup, just tell us next time you leave."

As soon as the door closed behind her Cristina turned to Emma and screeched.

"You really believe her?" she asked.

"Not a chance", Emma said and went to her closet to find shoes. She considered a simple pair of converse. Cristina didn't.

"You think it's a boy?" Cristina wondered.

"I don't know, but don't ask her. She wants to keep it a secret."

"Okay", she said and sat down on the bed heavily which made a shirt fall down on the floor.

"Careful", Emma said and picked it up. It was a plain blue tank top that she'd wear under her leather jacket. "I hope that 'okay' doesn't mean you'll go to her as soon as I leave?"

"Okay."

"Okay?" Emma said skeptically. "I do not believe you."

"Okay."

At 7:30 Emma stood at the gate and saw Dylan's car stop in front of her.

A big smile formed on his lips when she got into the car.

"Hi, Emma!" he said.

"Hello, so _Venue_ _45_?"

"Yeah, have you been there before?"

She considered the question a moment. Would he react as Cristina had, thinking she never went out? "I wouldn't say so."

"Have you been to any clubs?" he asked as he started the car.

"Not really."

"Then this will be a first. Don't worry, I won't let you get lost in the crowd."

"Aren't you gonna be onstage?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"How are you so certain I won't get lost?"

"How are you so certain you will?" She only gave him an 'are you serious?'-look for an answer. They stopped at a red light and Dylan turned to look at her. "I'm convinced you know how to take care of yourself and I won't be able to take my eyes off you. You're beautiful tonight, like always."

He kissed her cheek before he started driving again. She smiled to herself and for a moment she forgot her 'situation' with her _parabatai_, but only for a moment.

The club turned out to be located along the Sunset Strip. Advertising covered practically every building with neon lights. Dylan parked the car on a parking lot nearby and rushed around the car to open Emma's door before she could do so herself.

"You don't have to run, Dylan", she said as she took a step out.

"Yes, I have to since I know you wouldn't wait", he said and closed the door.

He took her hand as they went over to the club. People outside wore band tees and a lot of them had tattoos.

_They would just know how many tattoos I've had_, Emma thought to herself.

Dylan said hi to some people they passed and they got in without needing to show ID. Emma hadn't even thought about it. The limit was 18, she was 17. Dylan thought she was 18 so no harm done, right? But then, who didn't sneak into clubs? She guessed at least half of those who were there weren't older than 17.

Inside the club the music was loud and Emma had to stand close to Dylan to hear what he said. "We're playing soon. I'll be onstage for 40 minutes tops. Look for you then, okay?"

Instead of shouting her answer she nodded.

She sat down at the bar looking toward the stage. Behind her she could hear somebody calling for her attention. The bartender was asking if she wanted a drink. Being underage in a club was enough for her, she said no. Right before she was to turn away again she saw the man's hands. Some men were hairy, but that man's hands had fur. Where nails normally were he had claws. They looked like wolf paws. She knew he was a warlock.

With the thought that she was there as any other girl in the back of her mind she pushed down her instinct to confront him.

Dylan's band entered the stage. She hadn't really known his place in the band since she knew he played both guitar and bass. Turned out he played guitar and sang. Three other members were in the band too. A bassist, drummer and another guitarist. The bassist who had dyed his hair blue introduced the band.

"Hello, _45_! We are _The Merlins_." Merlin? A warlock band name in a warlock bar?

Dylan stepped forward to his microphone. He searched for me in the crowd and saw me. "This first song is called _Fictional Character_. It's a song for a girl who I wish would tell me how this ends." _What?_

The drummer counted them in and the bass and guitars started playing. Dylan started singing.

_Once upon a time_

_My mother told me a story_

_A story about a girl_

_Just a fictional character_

_Who walks and talks_

_In real life_

_'__Cause I met her_

_She isn't your Cinderella_

_But she's my queen_

_And I'm gonna tell you_

_The story_

_About a fictional girl _

_Who won't leave my mind alone_

_Hello stranger_

_I met you at the ending of a closing chapter_

_You told me the pages were meant to live_

_Living a real fake life_

_Will you follow me all the way to the epilogue?_

_All the way past the acknowledgements_

_'__Cause you're not only a _

_Fictional character_

_Because I saw you walk and talk_

_Because I heard you tell me how much you liked me_

_Will you please join me in the castle?_

_Let's run away from the trolls_

_They won't catch us if we turn the page_

_But if I turn the page_

_You will be left behind_

_Cause this is only chapter one_

_And you're not promised another chapter_

_My mother never told me the ending_

_She told me it was something I had to read myself_

_But I have a feeling that you will be waiting for me there_

_You promised me a happy ending_

_And it wouldn't be one without you_

It had the same verse as the one he'd sang to her once. She did notice that. He'd finished the song. And it was written for a girl.

They finished the set 30 minutes later like Dylan had promised. He came to meet her at the bar.

"Hi, Emma!" he said and sat on a barstool beside her. He gave her a quick kiss.

"You were great, Dylan. Why haven't you told me about your band?"

"You and I haven't met that often and it hasn't come up."

"But you finished the song", she said.

He smiled at her. "Did you like it?"

As an answer she gave him a kiss. He didn't let go of her. For moment she worried they would get looks, but realized this wasn't the place to worry about that. They drew back from each other a little, but still close enough to whisper.

"You know, we've finished our set. We can go somewhere else now."

"What are you doing?!" She did not say that. They turned around surprised. Emma was even more surprised when she saw who had said it.

In front of them front of them stood two Mexican boys who Emma once had met on a party, Diego and Jaime. She wasn't surprised by them, they always seemed to turn up at the most inappropriate times. But the peculiar boy who stood between them and had talked was the reason. He had slightly pointed ears like the fey, his whole aura was telling about his involvement with them. But Emma knew better. When she looked into his eyes she didn't see the Faerie from the Wild Hunt with one gold and one blue eye. She saw Jules' older brother, Mark Blackthorn.

"Hello, Emma. How is my brother doing?"

**Mark Blackthorn! He's back in black. Looking better in black than the widows of his enemies since 1234. Okay, I have no idea why I wrote that. I am tired okay, and it isn't even lunch time yet. **

**That ****_Fictional Character_**** song thing, don't judge. I'm not a songwriter. **

**I know this chapter was really random, sorry? Okay, I'm really tired, it's probably best if I just post this.**

**The gif is of Niclas Gillis who I think, and everybody else apparently, look like Mark Blackthorn supposedly.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Jules' POV**

He leaned out from his window avoiding the smoke of his cigarette getting into his room. For a he looked back at Isaac and Rebecca. They had now woken up and were playing on the floor. Isaac had found some old wooden toy in the closet. Although this was probably the time she should have gone to bed and preferably be asleep already. It was well past four. This time the moon was up at least. Jules looked up at it. He had painted the moon several times but he could never get it right. He could never get the timelessness and life into the painting.

He exhaled the smoke slowly. It trailed upwards like the moon had the same gravity as Jules for the earth.

"Do you have to do that in here?" Isaac asked from behind him.

Jules butted the cigarette against the wall of the Institute and turned around. "Sorry." He'd gotten used to the smell, but Emma still complained about it too.

"Weren't you and that warlock heading out?"

"Violeta, is getting her jacket. And checking the whole world history it seems like." He sat down on the bed looking at them from there. "Is she doing alright?"

Isaac looked anxiously at the Rebecca who gently held the wooden toy in her hands.

"As usual. Just because I got her to eat doesn't mean anything. She's eaten before, just not every day."

"If what you told me about her before was true, I doubt she's been doing this good for some time. It's been years since my parents died and a day rarely passes without me thinking about either of them."

Isaac seemed surprised, or shocked more likely. "Your parents are dead?" Jules nodded, not wanting to answer that question out loud. "I'm sorry."

Jules tried a little smile to break the tension. "Don't be sorry. You weren't there."

"But you were?"

"I were."

The door burst open revealing Violeta in the doorway. The tension in the room was gone.

"Buenas noches!"

"Speak English, please", Jules pleaded. She had insisted in speaking her mother tongue while Jules listened to her without understanding. The few words he did understand were thanks to his father and uncle who had taught him Latin.

"Shithead."

"Don't you have any nice words in your vocabulary?" Jules honestly wondered.

"It's not my fault your language has so many useful words", she replied and shrugged.

"You have your jacket", he said and looked at the green jacket that matched her hair, "so we'll go?"

"Sure. Let's go, asshat."

They'd taken the bus and train to the outer parts of the city. They couldn't see much since it was night. All Jules could see were buildings towering up around him. Not until they'd walked on a narrow path between two rows of houses were they there.

A big house in old country style. Violeta didn't stop to knock at the door but just opened it and went in. Jules went after her, confused.

"Why didn't you knock?"

She went up the stairs. The steps were worn down and Jules looked warily down on his feet.

"He lives in an apartment. It's an apartment building."

He still didn't know who it was they were gonna visit. Violeta said it was none of her business to tell him before whoever they were visiting told Jules himself.

When they got to another door Violeta opened that one too.

They came into a room. There were only a couch and a bookcase in there. A lamp hanging from the ceiling lightened up the room.

And a 20-or-so man. Sitting on the couch reading. Only in a bathrobe.

Jules suspected he knew Violeta since he hadn't reacted when he saw her but when Jules stepped out from behind her he jumped up.

"Violeta! Why didn't you knock?" the man asked.

She looked at him as if he was the one who was stupid. "I never knock."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "First of all, that isn't a good excuse. Second, you brought somebody. You should knock."

"Next time, maybe."

Once again the man sighed before he went into another room.

He came out a moment later wearing jeans and t-shirt instead. Now Jules could look at him without feeling uncomfortable.

Clearly, he was a warlock. Jules wasn't stupid. Not every human had wolf ears. He was undoubtedly trying to hide them though with his dark hair that hung over the ears.

The man waved shyly at Jules. "Hi, I'm Edmund Quinn?"

His presentation came out as a question. As if he wasn't even sure of his own name.

"This is Julian", Violeta said before Jules got the chance. Which was weird since she was the one who'd said she didn't like when others introduced oneself.

"He wants to know more about the red runes."

"Violeta! Why did you tell him about them?" Edmund shrieked.

"He was the one who asked", she replied completely calm. Jules began to wonder if she had any other expression. Happy? Excited? Angry? Nope, never.

"But why are you taking him to me? You know they're already looking for me. This won't make them forgive me."

"Maybe not, but you'll get the chance to make up for what you did. Make up for the lives you ended."

"I never killed anybody", Edmund said but once again he didn't sound that sure. As a shadowhunter who should report these things Jules awkward in the situation.

"But you caused their death. Big difference. Now, can you help us or are you gonna stand there looking pretty all day?"

Violeta went into another room which since Jules saw a stove he guessed it was the kitchen.

"Do you have any food, Eddie?" she asked.

"See for yourself."

"The fridge is empty."

"Then I guess that's a no."

Jules could hear her say something under her breath. Probably some other Spanish curse words.

Jules spoke up for the first time since they'd come then. "Can we please do what we came here for?"

"And what was that?" Edmund asked.

Violeta leaned against the wall casually. "Just asking questions. Do you mind answering them?"

He seemed to be considering it. "You won't tell them I told you?"

"No, why would I?"

"Violeta, nobody can trust you", Edmund said in a matter of fact way.

She walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Te amo."

_They're together, seriously? They are the weirdest couple I've met_, Jules thought, but changed his mind when he remembered couples like Alec and Magnus as well as Tessa and Jem.

"You too", he said and kissed her quickly on the lips, "but that won't change it." She stared into his eyes. He gave in. "Okay, okay. I'll answer whatever you ask as long as it won't get me into trouble."

"What do you know about the marks?" Jules asked before Edmund barely had finished.

Edmund sighed and sat down on the couch along with Violeta.

"I was young."

"Just answer him", Violeta said.

"But I was and I wanted to be accepted. My father…"

"He does not need your life story. Tell him what you know about the _marks_."

"Okay, after World War 1 which also affected our world the Clave wanted information only their not so much talking prisoners knew. They needed a way to access to their mind or something. That's when they came to Aleyn Wight. He was a warlock known for his knowledge and, well, to be fair, not so honest ways of working. He never worked for one side only. That's why his work never was fully good or bad. Aleyn, who also was kind of a teacher for young warlocks, went to his students. Along with them…along with _us_", he corrected himself, "he searched for runes making minds available for whoever put the rune on a person. I was there to help him along with 7 other mates. Aleyn never let us know about his full work though. I know for certain he was in the Spiral Labyrinth more than once.

"Anyways, one day he had come up with the new rune. Or runes. With some certain runes he could get access to others minds. He tested it on prisoners and it worked. It really worked."

Edmund seemed hurt by the memory. Tears had started rolling down his cheeks. Violeta carefully wiped them away.

"It's fine, Eddie", Violeta said softly. "Continue."

"The bodies couldn't handle the runes. The prisoners died and when they tried to move them…they fell apart. I helped him with the runes. Without me and the other students he wouldn't have made it. He was a genius, but it was too much even for him. We helped. We helped him kill those prisoners. Nowadays all I can comfort myself with is that there are no more prisoners. I won't have to worry about it again."

He didn't know it hadn't stopped with those prisoners.

"Edmund…", Jules began, but got a glare from Violeta.

"May I talk to you, alone", she said.

They went out in the hallway while Edmund still sat on the couch.

"Don't tell him they are back", she said once she'd closed the door.

"What? Why can't he know so that he'll help us?"

"Him knowing won't help either of us." Something vulnerable came over her expression. When Jules saw her then, he knew, she loved Edmund Quinn. "It will only break him."

"Then how will we get the information?"

"He wasn't alone, dunce." And with that eye rolling the vulnerability was gone. _She rolls her eyes so much she must have a constant headache_, Jules thought.

"The seven others. You know who they are?"

"I know everybody. Nobody can say no to my charm."

Jules had to force himself to keep a straight face and only nodded as an answer with the fear he would laugh if he opened his mouth.

With the promise from Violeta that she would come back to the Institute in the morning Jules left. She stayed with Edmund.

On the way home he thought about how he'd want that kind of relation. Casual, lovingly.

But there was only one girl he could think about that way. He couldn't allow himself to feel that way though. Both of them had lost their parents, he couldn't stand losing her too if the Clave found out. It was forbidden, for a good reason. To fight with a partner your that vulnerable for would never end well.

His phone buzzed then and he picked it up. The same person he'd been thinking about was calling.

_Emma_ is calling

**Guess what she's calling about…**

**This time it's a long chapter. I don't know how to feel about that though. I never have that much time to read when I'm on my computer so I always feel stressed when there are long chapters. This isn't that long though so you don't have to feel too stressed. ;)**

**If you click this link: **** watch?v=i1CJDxTVAIE ****there is a trailer I made for this like ages ago (2 months). I'm not a director and I know it's pretty basic. Sorry. Thought I could put it up on YouTube anyways since I'd already made it.**

**Okay…**

**Goodbye and hope you liked the chapter! **


	26. Chapter 26

**Emma's POV **

His one blue and one gold eyes stared down at her.

"Mark", she mumbled to herself, but he seemed pleased. As if she'd forgotten who he was. As if she could.

Dylan sat close to Emma and whispered to her. "Do you know him?"

She waved him away, unable to think of anything else than the man who stood in front of her. Because he was no longer the 16 year-old-boy he'd left like five years ago. Still she couldn't really decide his age. He should be 21 by now like his twin sister Helen, but there was something with him. If she didn't know better she'd say he was a faerie thorough. But he couldn't be. He was her _parabatai_'s brother.

Diego and Jaime made themselves reminded then.

"Hey, we found him on our way here. Couldn't leave the poor thing", Jaime said and glared at Mark.

"What are you even doing here? Don't you live in México?" Emma asked.

Dylan once again demanded her attention. "Who are they?"

"Old friends", she answered before she turned back to the three of them. "Mark, when did you get back?"

He glanced at Dylan and she knew he understood he was a mundane. "Can we go home? I haven't been there for a while."

"Dylan, I have to go home. See you later?" She gave him a quick kiss and walked out from the club before he could reply. The three boys followed her.

"So do you guys have a car or anything?" The cold night air made her shiver. It didn't seem to affect the others though. The Mexican brothers wore leather jackets just like her but she suspected they wore more than a tank top underneath. Mark looked at everything they passed and were too busy doing that to notice the cold.

"We have motorbikes."

Normally she would have been overjoyed but since she was cold already she had to concentrate not to die as she sat behind Diego and flashed through the city. Jaime and Mark were right behind them. As if she wasn't busy enough with the cold she worried about Mark. She did like the speed but when it came to her _parabatai_'s long lost brother and motorbikes she didn't like the combination. They couldn't afford to lose him now. To lose their parents years ago was enough. No more. _No more_.

When they parked in front of the Institute she couldn't stop from exhaling a relieved breath.

As soon as Mark had climbed off the bike she ran up to him and hugged him.

He had to catch up with what had just happened before he hugged her back. She could hear his soft laugh in her ear.

"You know we were only a feet from each other ten minutes ago. You could have hugged me then."

"I have missed you so much", she whispered back. "We all have."

Not until Diego coughed awkwardly did they back away from each other.

"Are we gonna go inside?" he asked.

"You too?" she asked and furrowed her eyebrows.

Jaime crossed his arms and stood up straight. "Believe it or not but we're in Los Angeles to visit you." He looked at the big institute behind them. "You do have a spare room, don't you?"

When they went into the Institute they met Cristina at the door. At first she only saw Emma.

"Hello! How was your date-". She stopped when she saw the brothers. "Jaime? Diego?"

They stepped out from behind Emma and stood on each side of her.

"Buenas noches, Tina. Qué tal?" Diego said. Emma hadn't thought about that Cristina actually was from the same country as them. It had been such natural thing that Cristina could find her way in Los Angeles. But she was the daughter of the head of the Mexico Institute. Jaime was Diego's little brother. They had always been close to Cristina's family. Both of them from the same city as Cristina. Since both of them were the same age as her, Diego two years older than his 16-year-old brother, they were natural childhood…friends.

"Speak English or Emma won't understand and I have no interest in talking about something she can't be a part of."

Drusilla came running down the stairs then and she didn't see Diego, Jaime or even Emma.

"Mark!" Tears formed in her eyes as she ran into her brother's arms.

This was the first time Emma saw Mark cry. His eyes watered and tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Dru, sweet Dru." He buried his face in her hair. He kept whispering things to her but they were dampened by the hair.

Cristina stared at them. "That's Mark? Mark Blackthorn?"

Emma couldn't manage to speak and nodded instead.

"We found him in a park", Jaime explained.

"A park? What were you doing there? Walking your imaginary dog?" Cristina asked.

He just shrugged and along with his brother he headed for the stairs. Cristina stopped them. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We're staying here."

"And why do you think you have the right?"

"It's an institute, Tina. Traveling shadowhunters have the right to stay here", Jaime said.

"Don't call me Tina. Only my friends do", she hissed. He went closer to her. Even though he was two years younger than her he was taller. He tilted her chin with a finger and looked into her eyes.

"But we are friends Tina."

Diego pushed him away then. "Stop it, Jaime! You're just scary. This won't help us."

"Yeah, sorry, I forgot. She's your girl."

Before he could reply, or hit him more likely, the rest of the Blackthorn children came running down the stairs.

Octavian, Tiberius and Livia stopped just a few feet away from their brother. They stared at him as if he was an alien. But that wasn't why they stared.

"We heard Dru", Livia mumbled.

Dru let go of her brother and looked at her siblings. A big smile on her face. "He's back."

Octavian started crying and jumped into the arms of his brother. Mark's brother had grown over the years but that didn't stop him from carrying him.

"Come Ty and Livvy. Let me see you." Livia ran to him and hugged him as if she'd never let him go.

"Ty?"

Tiberius hesitated before he went to him too and hugged him. Emma felt awkward as she stood there and watched the children meet their brother again. She saw the Cristina and the brothers had disappeared and decided to go into the kitchen.

There she made herself a cup of coffee and picked up her phone. She ignored the missed calls and texts and went directly into contacts.

_Jules_

He answered before the second ring.

"Emma?"

She breathed in as if that would get him closer to LA. "Jules, I have something to tell you."

She could practically hear his panic through the phone. "What? Is anybody hurt? Please tell me nobody is hurt."

That's when her tears began to fall. From happiness. "Jules." She swallowed down the tears to stop herself from gulping so that she'd get the words out. "Jules, Mark is home."

The other end of the phone was quiet for a moment.

"Emma, please repeat that."

"Mark is home, Jules." She laughed softly of relief. "He's home, Jules. He's really home."

Once again he was quiet. But not for long.

"I have to get home. Now."

This made her even more relieved. She hadn't had the time to reflect about what this meant, but she understood now that this was why Jules would come home. This was his reason.

"Please do. Come home soon."

When she got back to the siblings Diana, their tutor, and Arthur were there.

They were all hugging each other. Mark looked up when she came.

"Where's Jules, Emma?" he asked.

She thought over her answer. "He's in London at the moment, but he's coming home. I just called him."

"And Helen?"

Everybody's expressions went sad then.

"Mark, Helen is half-faerie. They banned her to Wrangel Island after the Dark War."

This time he got the same expression as the others. "But she was on your side."

She noticed how he said 'your' as if he wasn't. "The council didn't care. She went to the island along with Aline."

"When will she come back?"

"We don't know."

Mark was angry now. All the happiness from the reunion was now gone because his whole family wasn't there. Jules would be there only in a few hours but Helen wouldn't. She wasn't allowed to.

He turned to his uncle. "Arthur, make her come home. If I know her, and I know I do, she needs this family and they need her."

Arthur patted him on the shoulder and nodded. "I'll contact the council. I'm sure that they'll consider it now when you're home."

Now Mark looked frightened. "No, don't tell them I'm here. They'll punish me as they punished Helen. I can't leave you now."

Arthur considered it before he nodded again. He looked at the rest of them. "That's how it'll be. Nobody mentions that Mark is home, okay?"

They all nodded and saw the severity of the situation.

"But you'll still talk to the council about Helen?" Mark asked.

"Yes."

And at that moment Emma felt as if everything would be good once again.

**A happy chapter! And finally a new chapter. It's been longer than usual, but I hope you haven't given up on me. Mark is back and Jules is coming home and Arthur is talking to the council about Helen. I feel like there hasn't really been a happy chapter yet. Good to write one for a change. **

**Hope you like it!**


	27. Chapter 27

They had come home late and it didn't take long until the children fell asleep as they sat beside Mark in the couch in the lounge. Mark was still looking around in the room, taking in every detail. At once Emma felt guilty about the things that had changed in there. The new drapes, paintings by Jules and his siblings hanging on the walls as well as hand prints from when they'd made them. Memories of times he'd missed. He walked over from the couch to one painting. This one by Jules.

"He's a good artist", Mark said. Emma noticed that she was the only one except him who was awake. He was talking to her.

"He's always been great."

"But he's better. Not like the 12-year-old I left." His eyes swept over the others' paintings. "I've missed so much."

She didn't know what to say. What he said was true.

"But you're home now."

"Am I?" asked Mark. "Is this my home?" He looked over at Emma. "I can say this to you because you are not a Blackthorn. You do not have Blackthorn blood running through your veins. I have been in the land of Faerie for years and it is a place where mortal blood is turned to fire. It is a place of beauty and terror beyond what can be imagined here. I have ridden with the Wild Hunt. I have carved a clear path of freedom among the stars and outrun the wind. And now I am asked to walk upon the earth again."

"You belong where you're loved," Emma said. It was something her father had said, something she had always believed. She belonged here because Jules loved her and the children loved her. "Were you loved in Faerie?"

A shadow seemed to come down over Mark's eyes, like curtains closing in a dark room.

Cristina came into the room. Emma hadn't seen her since they'd come home. Last time she saw her she went away with the brothers.

Cristina leaned against the doorway and grinned at them. "Hey, are you still up?"

"Why are _you_ up?" Emma replied.

"I've showed Diego and Jaime their rooms." She didn't look so happy about this.

"You don't like them do you?"

She laughed at that. "You could say that, yes."

With a last weak smile she left again.

"You should go after her, Emma", Mark said.

"Why?" Emma asked as she began walking after Cristina.

"I might not have been in your world for some time, but I know when somebody need a friend."

Emma turned a corner and saw Cristina immediately. She sat down on the floor leaning her back against the wall while hugging her legs. Just like the Blackthorn children had tears rolling down their cheeks from happiness before so did Cristina have them now. Although Emma suspected these weren't from happiness.

When Emma sat down next to her she only nodded at her. Emma lay an arm around her shoulders and moved her closer.

Even though they hadn't been real friends for long they didn't need to talk. If she needed to talk Emma knew she would.

"I think my parents have sent them, Emma", she whispered finally.

"Why?"

"You know how I told you my parents want to choose my husband?"

"Yeah?" Emma had a feeling she knew where Cristina was going with this. She hoped for friend's sake she was wrong.

"Diego, the older brother, is the guy. The guy they've chosen."

Emma hugged her tighter. "But that can't be the whole reason for why you're so sad?"

She was quiet for a second. "Diego is nice, I guess. It's his brother. Diego has never really pushed the matter, but Jaime is. He's more of 'this is how it's supposed to be'." She laughed a little. "He doesn't live by it though. I can't remember how many times we had to get him out of trouble when he was little. His brother does it still I suppose."

"Do you know why they're here?"

"I think it's because their parents, and mine too, sent them. They really want this marriage."

Emma knew their families were old friends, but she'd always thought it was because they were relatives. "Don't you both have the surname Rosales?"

"Yes?" Cristina didn't understand where she was going at first. Realization shone up in her eyes when she did. "Oh, no, we're not relatives or anything. I don't really know why we have the same surname. We just do. No creativity maybe?"

A new voice interrupted them. "Tina?"

They looked up and saw Diego standing a few feet away. His eyes were full of compassion and Emma felt as if he really cared for Cristina.

"Not now, Diego, please", Cristina said and dried her eyes on her shirtsleeve.

"I just wanted to say sorry. For my brother. And me too I guess." He brushed his fingers through his hair nervously. "For showing up like this. We aren't here to make you do something you don't want to."

Cristina sighed. "Just say it Diego. You don't want to push me into marrying you. But you do." She leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. "Everybody's pushing."

Diego started to say something but Emma got there before him. "Don't. Not now. You won't get any forgiveness now."

He only waved before he left.

They fell asleep sitting there in the hallway. Nobody woke them up because everybody else were asleep too.

Not until Mark came and patted Emma on the shoulder did she wake up.

"What?" she said drowsily. "Where am I?"

He laughed at her confusion. "You're in the hallway. Come to the kitchen. Diana has made lunch."

"What? At this hour?"

"Yes, at 1 pm."

He left them shaking his head in disbelief. Emma looked after him. Seeing his golden blonde locks bouncing as he walked. His lean shoulders. Everything she'd once thought was gone from their world was now there. With all that was happening in their life at the moment she could still feel herself smiling.

**Jules POV**

The best way to get back to Los Angeles would probably be a portal. Therefore Jules took the plane.

It wasn't like he didn't want to meet Mark as soon as possible. But he felt like he needed to prepare. When Emma had called him he'd thought he would pass out. On the train. Luckily for him he got all the way to the station still conscious.

He'd gone straight to Heathrow. Bought a ticket and gone aboard. What he hadn't counted on was the time. Yes, it took months to travel over water decades ago, but when your long lost brother was finally home, twelve hours was long enough.

Yet, when he stood there outside the door to the Institute he hesitated.

It looked the same on the outside. The same flowers and trees in the garden. The same old building. But he knew better. Inside the Institute everything had changed. Then why couldn't he just open the door?

To prolong it he just knocked. Gave him time to brace himself.

_Breathe in. Breathe out._

The door opened.

He had prepared himself for Mark. He hadn't prepared himself for meeting his _parabatai_ again. In the doorway stood Emma. Her blonde hair in a braid like always. She was wearing a blue tank top which was wrinkled as if she'd slept in it.

Of course he hadn't stopped missing her, but he'd underestimated the bond between two _parabatais._ By the look on her face she had too. The moment they stood there looking at each other felt like an eternity. As if it hadn't only been a few days. A few rough days. First her eyes showed disbelief, even if she knew he'd be home soon. The reason was more likely the same as Jules', the underestimation of the bond. When the shock went away she fell into his arms. He hugged her tight. He never wanted to let her go. It wasn't his romantic feelings that told him this. The hug was from all time they'd spent with each other their whole childhood.

"Don't you dare leave me again", Emma hissed between her teeth.

Well, he could be sure it was the same Emma he'd left. "Don't you dare let me then."

She let him go and poked him in the chest. Her eyes shifted to the right where the corridor to the kitchen was. "I think there's somebody you need to meet. After all you did see me only days ago."

Jules stepped inside the building and saw the brother he'd thought he'd lost years ago. This time he didn't hesitate. He ran towards Mark but stopped in front of him. In some way it wasn't the brother he'd known. This man was older than the 16-year-old boy five years ago. As if that wasn't enough Mark was, even though Jules didn't want to admit it, no longer a shadowhunter. The brother in front of him was more of faerie than he'd been when he'd left. The colors and the aura just said faerie.

Mark had a sad expression. He saw how much his brother had changed too. He'd left a little kid and returned to a man.

Mark was the one who hugged Jules first. Jules was too shocked of the return to even react.

"Good to see you, kid", Mark mumbled.

"You too, brother."

**Emma's POV**

At lunch none of them could look away from Mark. The older ones were worried about the faerie part and how it'd changed him. The younger ones were too happy to think about anything else than that he was back.

Emma kept thinking about what he'd said to her before. About how much he'd changed. How much the Faerie world changed him. She prayed that he was wrong. The Blackthorns, and her too, had begged for his return for years. She couldn't handle it if he turned out to have become a totally different person, somebody they no longer knew. She also thought about his reaction when she'd asked him if he was loved where he'd been. He hadn't answered.

There were some who didn't look at him though. Cristina kept eyeing Jaime who was glaring back. Diego in his turn kept glaring at Jaime. The whole lunch was a big looking back game for everybody.

After lunch Emma went up to her room to rest from all the change the house had gone through the last 24 hours. She sat in her bed with a seraph blade in her hands. She hadn't used one except in training since she was attacked in Dylan's apartment. She missed it more than she wanted to admit. The fights were a part of her. A part she thought about every time she was training. It had nothing to do with her parents but with who she was. There was no other life she'd choose.

Somebody knocked on the door. "Come in."

Jules entered. She couldn't help but smile. She'd missed him so much. He smiled back in a way that said he'd missed her just as much.

He closed the door and leaned against it. The smile was still on his lips. "Hi", he said simply.

She smirked. "Hi to you too." She moved in her bed to give him space. "Sit down."

He sat down on the edge. She put down the seraph blade on the nightstand.

She took one of his hands in hers. Tracing the lines in his palms. Her fingers moved over to his wrist.

H-I.

She looked up at him and smiled.

Jules laughed and took her arm.

H-I-T-O-Y-O-U-T-O-O.

She was about to write again when she saw his knuckles. They were covered by bruises.

"Did you get into a fight?"

She felt that wasn't the reason. The pain she'd felt the first day he was gone. That wasn't just her pain. It'd been her _parabatai's_ too.

"No." He couldn't lie.

"Don't hurt yourself like this", she mumbled and let go of his hand.

"I was just angry. At myself for going away."

"Stay this time."

"It wasn't a good idea last time. Why would it ever be?" he mumbled and sat up next to her in the bed.

"You're sure?" she asked and took his hand. Again she traced the lines in his palm. With each line she reassured herself that he was truly there. Sitting beside her.

"Yeah", he said, eyelashes lowering as his gaze traced the movement of her fingers. "It hurt me being away from you. It feels like there's a hook dug in under my ribs, and there's something pulling at the other end. Like I'm tethered to you, no matter the distance."

She laid down their intertwined hands on the beddings between them and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"That's what the _parabatai_ bond does to you."

They sat there in silence until Jules spoke.

"There's more than that, Ems."

**That's one cheesy chapter. Sorry. I just feel like I couldn't just let the reunions be like "Oh, hi. You are here." Sorry if it's too much.**

**Another thing. If you've stalked Cassandra's teasers of TDA you could recognize some parts in here.**

**1\. ****_"Am I?" asked Mark. "Is this my home?" He looked over at Emma. "I can say this to you because you are not a Blackthorn. You do not have Blackthorn blood running through your veins. I have been in the land of Faerie for years and it is a place where mortal blood is turned to fire. It is a place of beauty and terror beyond what can be imagined here. I have ridden with the Wild Hunt. I have carved a clear path of freedom among the stars and outrun the wind. And now I am asked to walk upon the earth again."_**

**_ "_****_You belong where you're loved," Emma said. It was something her father had said, something she had always believed. She belonged here because Jules loved her and the children loved her. "Were you loved in Faerie?"_**

******_A shadow seemed to come down over Mark's eyes, like curtains closing in a dark room. _**

**That's one. Second one:**

**2 ****_"Yeah", he said, eyelashes lowering as his gaze traced the movement of her fingers. "It hurt me being away from you. It feels like there's a hook dug in under my ribs, and there's something pulling at the other end. Like I'm tethered to you, no matter the distance."_**

**That means they belong, just like most characters and the shadowhunter world, to Cassandra Clare. I wanted to show where I think these parts will fit in. But I doubt Cassandra's story will be anything like this. She's a great author which has some really unsuspected plot twists and I can't wait for the books.**

**And have you heard? Devon Bostick will be in the audiobook of her new shadowhunter Institute story! I love Devon! He's in The 100 which, I've said it before, I love. He plays Jasper there. I just read the book The 100 too. It's not the same story exactly as the TV series, but I like it. There are so many ships. And I saw this week's episode. So much is happening. **

**Okay.**

**_Breathe in, breathe out._**

**Stop fangirling.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Jules'/Emma's POV **

Just like in old days Jules fell asleep in Emma's bed. The distance they'd had between them had worn on both of them. They lay there holding each other the whole night. Afraid to lose the other. They kept waking up each other. Emma always moved when she was sleeping and Jules got hit more times than he wanted to count. Emma woke up when Jules screeched every time she struck him.

"What's wrong, Jules?" she asked drowsily, still half asleep.

Jules rubbed the latest sore spot on his cheek. "You hit me again, Emma."

"Well, it's my bed. I'm used to having space."

He started to get up. "Then I'll leave." He was stopped by Emma who grasped his wrist.

"No. Stay."

He lay down again. Both of them knew it'd just been an empty threat. None of them could manage to be alone. They lay there looking at each other. Their sleepiness was forgotten.

Jules tucked a blond strand behind her ear. She looked at him as if he'd solve every one of her problems. If she'd only known. He was one of them.

He moved closer to her. As he looked down on her lips he couldn't stop himself from remembering that time. The time when he'd actually kissed her. That'd been part of the reason to why he'd left. That'd been part of the reason to why he'd come back. It seemed so impossible now, that he'd actually kissed her. He'd been so sure then that she had kissed him back. But he knew it wasn't possible. Even if she was a girl who was most likely to break the rules she couldn't break this one. To be a successful shadowhunter was her dream. A broken law couldn't come in her way. If Jules did anything to prevent it…he'd never forgive himself.

She saw how his eyes kept flickering to her lips. Why didn't he just kiss her? Emma had been the one to take the initiative whenever they were to fight a demon or just talk to somebody when they were younger, still did, but he needed to do something himself sometime for the angel's sake. She twirled a strand of his hair around her finger. A bruise was darkening on his cheek. Her hand moved to it and cupped his cheek protecting even though she was the one to have given it to him. He flinched at first by the instant cold of her hand. She'd never had warm hands. She moved closer to him and before she got too close she whispered to him:

"Sorry."

And she kissed him.

He was stunned at first but relaxed as he understood what was happening. Well, he didn't understand exactly, but he went along with it. The conscience which had been in his way only a moment ago was gone now. It was so hard to stop especially when she had taken the initiative. He moved a hand to the back of her head to get her closer. He'd always thought she was cold, but everything he could think about now was how warm she was.

When she leaned back a little he thought that was it. She'd changed her mind. He'd just imagined it.

"Jules…"

He shook his head resulting her hand fell off his cheek. "No, don't. I understand."

At that she giggled in a way he thought only his younger sister Dru could or possibly Cristina. She moved her hand back to his cheek.

"What exactly, Jules, do you not understand?"

"We can't be together. Not in any other way than being _parabatai_ anyway."

Once again she leaned in but this time she only gave him a peck on the lips. Still it caused a small hurricane inside his chest.

"_Jules_. Listen to me", she said as she looked into his eyes. A small smile played on her lips. "I like you Jules." In teasing way she pretended to consider what to say. "In a _parabatai_ way." Another kiss. Deeper than the peck but still not as the first one. She leaned her forehead against his. "But also in…another way."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. This time she was taken off guard.

"Jules!" she squealed in surprise.

"Shush, Em, or you'll wake up the others", he warned with smile on his lips as he kept kissing her. He moved over to kiss her neck.

"Waking up the others", she muttered. "As if you wouldn't have already."

He stopped kissing her long enough to answer and all she felt was his breath again her collar bones. "You mean the shouts I made from _you_ _hitting_ me?"

"Don't be such a child."

He only laughed and traced her collar bones with kisses up to her chin.

She felt as if he was teasing her, testing her self-control, not kissing her properly. In the end she just took his head in her hands and brought his lips to hers.

_Screw self-control._

They broke apart after…who knows how long. Nobody counted the minutes.

Between heavy breaths they talked.

"We're friends, right?" Jules asked with a grin on his face.

"I don't know about that. You _are_ rather annoying", she answered fake seriously.

He tickled her which resulted in giggles from both of them.

"Why are you giggling, Em? I thought that was too childish for you."

"You're giggling too!"

He leaned in closer. Too far for a kiss but close enough to feel the breath from each other. "That's because your laugh is so infectious", he whispered against her lips before he leaned in even closer and their lips brushed against each other.

Before they could kiss they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Are you up, Emma?" they heard Cristina ask.

Jules tucked himself in and pretended to sleep. Such an actor.

"You can come in."

Emma sat up in bed as Cristina entered. She stopped in the doorway as she saw Jules. She raised a questioning brow at Emma. "What is he doing here?"

"We were talking and he fell asleep", Emma explained casually and shrugged. She hoped she didn't blush.

Cristina sat down on Emma's side of the bed. "Can we talk?"

"Are you breaking up with me?" She pretended to be honestly offended.

Cristina rolled her eyes. "No, silly." She shuffled closer to Emma to not fall off the bed. She glanced at Jules who was turned their way taking deep sleepy breaths. "Is he sleeping?"

Emma hesitated before answering. "I'm not sure. Why?"

"I haven't told him what I've told you and I need to talk to you."

Emma looked down on Jules who wore a small smile. Why was he so annoying? "Maybe we could talk about it later? Just to be sure?"

"Yeah, okay." She jumped off the bed and went to the door but turned around before she opened it. Her eyes on Jules. "Good morning, Jules."

Jules grinned even if Cristina couldn't see his face. "Good morning, Cristina."

Cristina muttered something under her breath before she opened the door and left.

He sat up beside Emma leaning his head on her shoulder. A smirk formed on his lips.

"You're blushing."

"No!" She cupped her cheeks.

"Yes, you are", he replied and kissed her hand laying on her cheek. "I've gotta go now. Have to make sure the kids get breakfast." His eyes glanced at hers. Asking if he was allowed to leave, or rather if they would stay like this if he left.

"I'll see you later, okay? We can meet in the training room."

He pouted disappointed. "The training room. That's the best place you can come up with?" he muttered as he got up and left.

Before she needed to get up and make ready for breakfast herself she lay there for a moment. Thinking through what had just happened.

She took a deep breath and got up. Got dressed in a green t-shirt and jeans. Took off the blue tank top. As she saw that she was reminded by the last 24 hours. She'd worn that top when she'd met Dylan at the concert, when she'd met Mark, Diego and Jaime, and Jules. She'd worn it when she'd kissed Jules.

She left the room and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Bracing herself. It was not appropriate to kiss her _parabatai_ in front of his family.

This was gonna be awkward.

**Awkward. Cheesy. Weird. I am not good at writing kissing scenes and this wasn't even a traditional fanfiction make out scene. Please forgive me. But at least I've written something with Jemma now. **

**This has practically been my reason not to do my homework. And I really need to do my homework! I have a deadline tomorrow where I'm gonna write about for subject. I've barely written three of them. That is not enough. I've had a month to do it. During that time I've written like 20 pages of fanfiction. **

**Plus I have another deadline on Sunday and next Friday. For the deadline next Friday I am supposed to have written a book! Okay, not a book like The Mortal Instruments or Percy Jackson but a book with pictures and text. I go to art school, or at least the Swedish version of it which means I'm supposed to be artistic. The book does not look artistic.**

**Sorry for complaining. I write a happy chapter with a sad author's note. **

**Thank you for still reading the fanfic though. Since I have even more future homework I'll probably update soon. My logic. **

**Anyways, hope you liked the chapter. And see you next time!**


	29. Chapter 29

Last time they'd eaten in the dining hall there'd been an awkward silence. That's not how the breakfast was. Everybody was full of life and the kids clung on to Mark. Even Ty who'd been so quiet before Mark disappeared, even more when he was, was happy and smiling. Maybe he didn't talk as much as the others, but he was still there, talking with his siblings. He carried a Sherlock Holmes book, quoting it from time to time. His twin sister Livvy sat beside him and even though they didn't talk to each other Emma knew it was Livvy who gave Ty the courage to speak. Dru and Tavvy sat on the left side of Mark at the table. Tavvy hanging on to his sleeve, constantly tugging at it. Dru was the quietest of the siblings. Emma suspected there was something she wasn't telling her family, something she wanted to keep a secret. Emma wasn't going to make her tell her though. By the angel, Emma didn't tell her everything either. Then there was the last Blackthorn child, Jules. He carried out pancakes from the kitchen. Diana, their tutor, was helping him. At the sight of him Emma's heart beat faster. She hoped she didn't blush, but if she did she was sure Jules would tease her about it later. She'd seen him as good as every day, except the past couples of days, and almost always without that feeling. Of course, she'd only been happy to see him but now she felt as if he was more than just a friend, a _parabatai_, but she wasn't sure of what. And it was that insecurity that made her heart beat, her cheeks to blush. She wanted him to know she didn't want to go back to just friends, still she knew they couldn't be more. As she went to help him carry out plates she put that thought in the back of her head and concentrated on the good things. They were happy now, the whole family was happy, she hoped.

As she had that thought Cristina and the brothers arrived. Jaime with a smirk on her face, Cristina with a silent thunder inside of her and behind them Diego who seemed awkward about the whole situation.

Seriously, couldn't Emma be allowed to relax for just one second?

She sneaked up beside Cristina as she marched to her chair by the table.

"You spend an awful lot of time together not to like each other?" Emma whispered to her and sat down beside her.

"It's not by choice, I can assure you. Jaime likes to follow me only to annoy me." She glared in Jaime's direction. "Diego simply follows his little brother."

Emma gave her a plate of pancakes and one for herself. Her hunger was making itself reminded. She had only had some yoghurt before she went to bed. To show Cristina she listened though she tried to cheer her up. "Hey, at least you have somebody to talk to whenever you feel like it."

That only made Cristina turn her stare to Emma.

"You are not funny, Emma."

She poured up some milk and put it in front of Cristina. "Shush, and drink your milk."

Cristina quirked an eyebrow. "What's up with you today? You're acting weird."

"I'm always weird, you know that."

As they ate their breakfast Emma kept glancing at Jules. She knew he wanted to talk to and spend time with his brother, but she noticed him looking at her too. He smiled at her every time they looked at the other at the same time.

Mark never mentioned the Wild Hunt and that wasn't the first thing the kids asked about either. They wanted to know what they were gonna do the following afternoon, if he wanted to see a new movie or if he wanted to see the new books they'd gotten in the library.

Mark tried to keep his mask, but Emma could see how he every now and then gazed off. How he got sad when they talked about their lives that had gone forward without him.

She talked to Cristina instead. She didn't really respond to her though since her main goal was to glare at Jaime who sat next to Diego who in his turn sat next to Cristina. Diego was in the center of a staring contest – or war.

"Cristina", Emma said trying to catch her attention. No reaction. "Cristina!"

Finally she turned to her. "Yeah?"

"Do wanna go for a run later?" She thought it was a good way to get some time away from the brothers.

When Emma looked at her though it seemed like she'd given her the world. "Yes, right after breakfast?"

That was when she was supposed to meet Jules in the training room. "Right before lunch maybe. I promised to train with Jules after breakfast."

That didn't spoil her mood though. It still meant time away. "Great!"

The others were taking the day off from training. With Mark's return nobody was really up for it. Neither was Cristina who rather hid in her room.

That meant Jules was alone in the training room when Emma arrived. He was wearing a lose shirt, but it was still showing his slenderness. Not that he was weak. Over the years, especially after Mark's disappearance, Jules had really started to grow up. He was stronger, taller too. The shirt wasn't something she'd wear to training though. Neither were the jeans. She grinned at him.

"It's not often you're here before me. Not that you look that training motivated."

He embraced her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I won't be able to look away from you anyway."

"You won't need to if we're sparring or fencing."

"Why would I want to fight you?"

"You are so cheesy, Jules, and you're just saying those things to have an excuse."

He was considering his answer, knowing he could easily be scolded if he said something wrong. "It's kinda true…"

"Jules!"

"Have I ever told you how much I like you", he said as fast as he could and hugged her tightly.

"Jules, you're suffocating me."

"Are we gonna train if I let you go? No yelling?"

She sighed. "Yes. Now can you let me go?"

He back away with a smirk on his face. Before he backed away any farther he gave her a kiss. She cupped his cheeks, making him stay.

"This is good training", he smiled against her lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her closer again.

This time Emma backed away and poked him in the chest. "We do need to train. Go change and come back."

When he closed the door Emma could hear him talking to somebody on the other side.

"Hey, coming to train? See you soon. Just gonna go change."

The door opened again and Livvy came in. She smiled at Emma.

"Hey, Emma! Up for some training?"

"Yeah, but your brother clearly isn't. He came here in jeans."

Livvy laughed in a way that said it didn't surprise her. "He probably is on his way to the roof already."

To go painting. Something told Emma though, that he _was_ up for training today. When she had that thought she couldn't help but realize they were a bit lovesick.

"Where's Ty?"

"With Mark."

"Why aren't you with them?" Emma asked.

"I can't concentrate. I can only do so when I'm training, or fighting." She was the only Blackthorn Emma really could relate to. She was the only one with the goal to become a good shadowhunter. The others only trained because it was their duty.

Livvy picked up a sword at the same moment as the door opened again. This time Cristina came in with Jaime behind her. Diego didn't come with them. Emma realized this was the first time she saw the brothers separated. Hopefully Jaime's brother saw how annoying his little brother was.

"Hello, Emma!" Cristina shouted a little too happily and ran to her. She hugged her before Emma could react.

"Hi?"

"Thought I could join you and Jules. I don't see Jules though." She looked over at Livvy. "Hello, Livvy!"

Jaime was leaning against a wall. Looking at Cristina. Emma went over to him while Cristina talked to Livvy.

"Jaime, right?" Emma said and crossed her arms.

He raised an eyebrow. Asking her why she was talking to him. "Yeah?"

"Leave Cristina alone."

He smirked. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

She leaned closer to him to tell him something only for him to hear. "If you don't back off I can assure you I'll show you just how good I am at sword fighting."

He didn't drop his smirk and it annoyed her way too much. "It's a good thing that's what I'm best at then."

This time it was her time to smile. "Better finish this once and for all then, right?" she said and went to pick up a sword. When she turned to look at him he only stared at her. He hadn't been prepared to be tested. He gathered his thoughts soon though and smiled again. Emma noticed Cristina and Livvy had taken their seat by the wall. They'd understood there'd be fighting. Cristina looked especially happy.

Jaime took a sword and weighed it in his hands.

"Decided yet?" Emma asked and got ready in the center of the room.

He went to stand in front of her, a few feet between them.

Jaime went for her first. She dodged and took a step to the side. He swung his sword again and even though she dodged him once again she could see in his moves this was something he was good at. It was her time to make a move. She swung her sword, but he'd already stepped away. It continued that way. Then finally she got a hit. She drew blood from his leg. But before she could feel the pride he struck her. He made a cut over her cheek. That's what made her angry. She could feel herself explode and went for him again. He tried to dodge her, but he ended up on the ground with the tip of her sword against his throat.

"Give up", she said.

He held his breath, afraid of the sword. "Take away the sword."

"What the hell is going on here?" Jules voice came from the door. Emma looked over at him. This time he was dressed appropriately, ready to train. His eyes were wide as he stared at her sword. She stepped away from Jaime and hung up the sword on the wall again.

"We are training", Emma answered Jules.

Jaime got up from the floor and jumped on one leg over to a bench. There he sat down and drew an _iratze_.

Jules went over to Emma and saw the cut on her cheek.

"Ems!" he said almost disappointed.

"I'm fine, Jules."

"You're hurt."

Livvy walked up to them. "If she tells you she's fine then she is. Now go away and let me put an _iratze_ on her."

She did it fast and everything that was left was a small scar.

Cristina stood beside them. "So do you wanna go running now?"

The reason she'd come there in the first place was to train and be alone with Jules. She had trained and she saw possibility of being alone with him there.

"Yeah, I think it'd be for the best", she said and looked at Jaime who now stood on two legs. _I should have cut it off_, she thought.

Jules didn't understand what they were talking about. "Aren't we training?"

"It doesn't feel like we can be undisturbed here anyway and I promised Cristina."

Cristina linked arms with Emma. "You can come with us though, Jules."

"Can I come too?" Livvy asked.

"Yeah, the more the merrier."

"You wanna?" Emma asked Jules. He shrugged and nodded.

"Me too?" they heard Jaime say behind them. Everybody except for Livvy turned around in sync and glared. Jules because Jaime had cut Emma, Cristina and Emma because, you know by now. Livvy didn't know what they had against him.

"Why don't you like him?" she asked. Jaime came up to them and put an arm around Livvy's shoulders.

"Yeah, why don't you?"

Livvy pushed him away and frowned at him. "I never said _I_ did."

"You can take him if you want, but then you have to make sure he doesn't talk to us", Cristina said.

Livvy considered him. "Well, since Ty is occupied I have to talk to somebody."

"So we're going running?" Cristina concluded.

"I guess we are", Jules replied, not so happily. "Can we at least stop by the café?"

"Aren't we always", Emma said.

**Soooooo, I have no idea what I've just written. I'm tired, okay. My mind can't even translate into English (it's not my first language as you may have guessed). The bad thing is that it's not even three o'clock yet. I've been home sick today so I've had time writing at least. I do have a deadline today though. I've hardly started. You know what I think? I should probably rename these author's note to complainer's notes. I'm sorry, I do complain a lot and there's no difference in real life.**

**Hope you liked this filler and if you did, favorite, comment, share?**


	30. Chapter 30

Jules sped up when they got closer to the café with cinnamon rolls. Jaime who'd never ran with them before raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Cinnamon rolls", Emma sighed for an answer.

Jules had already ran into the café. When the others came in he'd ordered for all of them. Except for Jaime. Jules was still angry at him for cutting Emma. He only glared a Jaime when he gave the others their drinks and cinnamon rolls.

"It was a friendly fight", Jaime muttered and went to the counter to order for himself.

They sat down by a table and started eating without waiting for Jaime.

"Why do you guys hate Jaime so much?" Livvy asked.

"He hurt Emma", Jules answered without hesitating.

"Jules, _I_ challenged _him_", said Emma. "We don't like him because he doesn't care about others' feelings."

"Emma, we've met him at Christmas and meetings. How can you have gotten to know him enough to know that?"

Jaime sat down at the table before she could answer. "So are you always this…healthy?" He looked skeptically at his cake.

"Let's just say Jules brings out the worst in us."

"Believe me, cinnamon rolls are not my worst", Jules said and smirked.

A girl came to them then. She had long blonde hair, almost to her waist. Her style was just like every other teenager's there. Converse, skinny jeans and a t-shirt. A Starbucks cup in one hand. Somehow everybody always had a Starbucks cup. Didn't matter if they were a mile away from one and at a different café. The group of shadowhunters saw she wasn't a mundane though. Her eyes gave her away. Her ears too. The eyes were completely green and her ears were slightly pointed. She was a faerie.

She sat down next to Jaime.

"Hello, guys."

"Who are you?" Emma asked.

"I'm not here to talk about me", the girl said and sipped on her coffee. "I'm here to talk about your recently returned half-blood."

"Mark", Jules grunted.

"Yeah, him. I suppose you understand he didn't run away from the Wild Hunt. Impossible, you know. They don't let anybody leave without their permission. It's easier that way. Not as much paper work."

"You're rambling", Emma groaned.

"No, I'm _talking_", she explained. "What I was gonna say, before you _interrupted_, there's a reason to why Mark is out. We let him go. As a motivation."

"A motivation?" Jules quirked an eyebrow.

She leaned over the table and looked at Jules. "Let's just say that if you don't solve this 'problem' of ours _he_ won't get a happy ending." She got up and sipped on her coffee for the last time before throwing it into a trash can. "Nice talk. See you later."

And she left.

Livvy snorted. "That was enough motivation for me. We're leaving."

She grasped Jaime's wrist and left the table with him. Before she went through the door she turned around gave the rest of the group a questioning look to why they were still sitting. They hurried to get up and follow them.

Jaime was surprised to Livvy's sudden reaction.

"Why did you drag _me_ along?" he whispered to her.

"I thought you wanted to get accepted. Trust me, this is your one and only chance."

"I'm not looking for acceptance, Livia."

"Yes, you are."

When they got home Emma went straight to her room with the others following her. Outside the door she stopped and eyed Jaime.

"I'm gonna show you something and I have to trust those I'm showing it to."

Jaime rolled his eyes and sighed. "What is it? Your diary? I'm not interested in it anyway."

Livvy tugged at his sleeve. "Stop it. Just wait outside and _maybe_ we'll tell you later."

"Or maybe not", Emma muttered under her breath.

They closed the door between them and Jaime who was sitting on the floor outside.

"What are you showing us then?" Livvy asked Emma.

Emma went over to the closet and dug through her socks. "Jules, the other book is in the nightstand drawer."

She got up the big brown book she'd got from Jem and put it in front of Cristina's face. "Look! Told you the socks would protect it."

"You must be so proud of them."

Jules came to them with the small blue book he'd found for Emma.

"Hopefully, this will at least give us a start", he said.

"Okay", Livvy started. "I just want to bring something up to the surface. I have no idea what the problem the faerie talked about is."

The three of them looked shocked at Livvy at first before their faces lit up in realization. "We never told you", Emma stated.

"No, you _didn't_."

"You see, Jules, Cristina and I have been investigating some murders around LA for the last couple of weeks." Emma continued to explain to her about her parents' death, the runes and the reason to why Mark was back.

"So he could really be in trouble?"

"No, we wouldn't let them get anywhere near him", Emma said.

"But we're gonna solve this? Just in case?"

"Yeah."

They went over to Emma's desk and put down the books there. The giant brown book was dusty and the edges were worn down. For being a forbidden book it looked rather well-read.

Emma waited before she opened it. "Everybody knows now that we can't tell anybody about this. Jem was serious when he told me and Cristina we had to keep it hidden. If these runes are used we could be in serious trouble and I don't just mean the four of us."

"We get it. Open it now", Livvy insisted.

She turned the first page. Emma could literally feel all her blood rush to her feet. These were the runes that were discovered on her parents' bodies.

"This is it", she murmured. "This is what killed them."

"Eh, guys", Jules trembled. "I think I have forgotten to tell you something. I met a warlock in London and I think I know who started all this." Three heads turned his direction.

"What?" they said in a choir.

"I take it as I didn't tell you?"

Emma slapped his shoulder. "Damn right you are", she said and then in a nicer tone. "So what did the warlock say?"

"There was a warlock named Aleyn Wight who came up with these runes with the help of his students. The runes were meant for war prisoners the Clave had captioned. They would allow them to see the minds of the prisoners." He continued to tell them what Edmund Quinn had told him.

Emma was so shocked she had to sit down on her bed. "But my parents. Why would they…?"

Jules sat down beside her and caressed her cheek tenderly. "I don't know, Ems, I don't know. But we'll figure it out. We always do." He hugged her tightly and didn't care there were people in the room who didn't know how they really felt about each other. Because it didn't matter whether you were romantically interested in each other or _parabatai_, they needed to look out for each other.

Cristina sat down on her other side. "We'll get whoever did that, Emma. Trust us."

"They killed them…to read their thoughts?" And then something came to her mind. "The Clave did this."

"It could be somebody else who found the runes", Jules said.

"But it makes perfect sense. They hate the fey after the Dark War and maybe there was something my parents knew or…"

"Emma, don't", Jules pleaded. "We'll find whoever is doing this and we're gonna make them pay."

There was a knock on the door and Jaime peeked in. "Are you telling secrets?"

Livvy pushed him out again and closed the door behind them.

"I told you to wait outside, didn't I?" she demanded.

"I'm bored. Can't we do something while they do…whatever they're doing?" He waved at the door.

She thought about it. Maybe she could make him leave the others alone if she was with him. He'd been clingy enough already.

"Okay."

"Okay?" he asked surprised.

"Why so shocked?" she asked as she started walking down the corridor. He jogged after her to keep up.

"Well, you're the first one here who's even considering spending time with me."

"That's because I haven't known you long enough to hate you."

He scoffed. "That won't take very long if you listen to the others."

"Then you're lucky." She turned around and walked backwards to look at him while talking. "Because I don't always listen."

He grinned at her. "Lucky me."

**I'm back! Long ago since last update. Yes I have all these 'excuses' but I won't list them here. Thank you if you're still reading this though. This was more of Livvy's chapter than Jules' or Emma's I think, but I really like her so, well, I wrote a chapter where she had more time.**

**I've started watching a new TV series! A few years too late though. It's ****_Once Upon A Time_**** and I'm fully aware of the fact that it started more than three years ago and I really shouldn't be this excited about it this late, but I am. It's really good. I'm soon done with season 3. My favorite characters so far are Rumpelstiltskin, Peter Pan and Felix, if you were interested… A big part to why I like Peter Pan is Robbie Kay's (actor) eyebrows. I mean I look more at them than his eyes! He's a really good actor too. **

**And TV series The 100 which I've mentioned earlier had the season finale last week. ****L**

**Okay, I've said this is like a complaining note, but I'm considering renaming it fangirling note. And I write all this because I don't know why.**

**Hope you liked the chapter!**

**(Maybe ****_Hope you liked this chapter_**** will be our always?)**


	31. Chapter 31

As long as Emma could remember it had been her who'd comforted Jules. Whenever he went up to the roof to paint she knew it. Even more often she knew how to make him happy again. Yet when his father had died was the first time she didn't know how to do it. Still she sat by his bed every night because there was a possibility he'd wake up and need her. While she sat there waiting for him to wake up from nightmares she processed her own parents' death. Somehow in all the chaos that had been her parents had been forgotten. Except for her. She never forgot. Not once when they were in Idris or when they went back. They were always in her mind and even stronger in her heart. Those nights when she were thinking about them she always came to the realization that nobody had stayed with her by night. Nobody had ever followed her to the place to where they were found to help her give her a closure. She never went there by herself either. She never got that closure. Why was this? She knew that way too well. Even though she and Jules were _parabatai_ and supposed to know how the other felt it was always harder for him to know. She thought she didn't need somebody to help her. Between her and Jules she was the stronger one.

Then when Jules finally sat there with her trying to comfort her she pushed away all the sadness and sat up straight. She needed to get out of there. How much she would like to stay there and get that comfort she'd longed for for years, she couldn't stay. It was during those years that she had built a wall and she didn't mean for it to break down already. Instead she stood up and took a deep breath. Jules looked at her warily. It didn't give her comfort though, it made her feel weak.

"I'm gonna go for a walk", she said quietly but loud enough for both Cristina and Jules to hear her.

"You want us to come with you?" Cristina asked and furrowed her eyebrows.

Emma gave both of them a reassuring smile. "No, it's okay. It's just a walk."

"You sure?"

They started to get on her nerves. She was about to break and they were asking her if she was absolutely sure she wanted to go for a walk. With her last willpower she gave them another wide grin. "You can't expect me to not want a bit of fresh air when Jules just dropped a bomb like that. I need to go for a walk."

"Okay", Jules said. "Tell us when you're back so we can eat lunch."

He really thought all she needed was a little space. If he only knew. If space was the solution of her problems she would need the whole space. The literal one. Still in gym clothes she left the room and stopped only to get her seraph blades and put them in her belt, hidden under her shirt. Not that she planned to go out fighting demons, but she was a shadowhunter. Where she went, her seraph blades went with her. Neither Livvy nor Jaime was outside the room. She couldn't help but feel a little worried about their newfound friendship. Maybe the main reason was the way he'd acted since he'd got there and how Cristina felt about the whole situation but Emma had met him before. Even if those times had been at Christmas holidays and such she felt as if she'd got a clear picture of him. The first time they had met he had been seven and clung by his mother's leg, Diego clung to the other. Cristina had been there somewhere in the background too. Next time that little mama's boy had changed entirely. Five years had passed. The Dark War was over and it had changed him more than anybody she had seen. From being the shyest boy he had turned into an angry and violent young man. Whenever there was a fight close by he made sure to get there. One of those fights had been with Jules. Her _parabatai_ hadn't stood a chance. He ended up with a broken collarbone, sprained ankle and a nosebleed that wouldn't stop for hours. Jaime got a black eye.

Lost in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed she had chosen the road to the beach. With a fear of the sea LA was not the best place to live in. Every time she made her way there she tried to the very end to get to the water. To just feel it against her toes. She missed that feeling as much as she missed not being afraid. When her parents had been with her she wasn't even afraid to lose them. They weren't even old. It's not until you lose the people you love that you realize that was your greatest fear.

That wasn't the time to conquer her fear though. With a sharp turn she chose the road to the park instead. Still close to the sea she could hear the waves hit the sand. While she'd thought of it as soothing years before she couldn't help but feel the overwhelming panic flow over her at that moment. Before she fell she got to sit down on a bench and hid her face in her hands. With slow breaths she regained her calm.

People passed before her and didn't give her a second thought. That was until somebody sat down next to her. She'd seen who it was when he sat down and didn't need to turn to look but that didn't mean she wasn't surprised.

"What are you doing here, Dylan?"

"I saw you sitting here and you seemed quite upset." He shuffled closer and lay a soothing hand on her shoulder. "How are you?"

"How do I seem?" She honestly wanted to know. It wasn't until she looked okay that she could go back home.

"You're hiding it almost perfectly so I'd say neutral. But if you're asking what _I_ think you feel then I'd say abandoned."

"How would you know? We've only known each other for a few weeks."

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him give her a tilted smile. "I know people. Sometimes I get to know others sooner than they get to know me."

She let out a short laugh. "Well, that's good because I barely know anything about you." Where had he gone to school? Did he do anything else besides playing in a band? Did he even have a family?

He held out a hand to her then. She took it hesitantly and raised an eyebrow.

He laughed with his eyes closed. In a way you saw cartoons laugh. Honest and childish. "Don't give me that look." He shook his head and returned with a serious expression. "Hello, I'm Dylan", he said and wiggled an eyebrow. Emma couldn't help but laugh.

"You can't expect me not to give you 'that look' when you do that!"

He leaned back on the bench and stretched out his legs. A few people gave him annoyed looks as they had to jump over his feet as they passed.

"I did make you happier though. Didn't I?"

She leaned against his shoulder and felt his arm go around her in comforting hug. "You are making me happy."

They sat there in silence for some time. That was until clouds covered the sun and it was time for lunch. They decided to go to Dylan's place. Before they went though, Emma called Cristina to make sure they worked with the leads they had. They couldn't afford to take some time off just because Emma had a breakdown. The shadowhunter world didn't work that way.

Dylan was making lunch in the kitchen while Emma sat on the floor by the TV playing videogames. They had made her addicted to them last time she'd been there. Last time when it ended with two days of unconsciousness from encountering a ravener. She pushed down that thought and concentrated on the game.

"Nerd! Lunch is ready!" Dylan called from right behind her. She puckered her lips at him in a grumpy way.

"I'm not a nerd. Don't you see", she said and gestured at her gym clothes, "I'm clearly a jock."

He bent down to her and gave her quick kiss. "That reminds me. Do you wanna take a shower before lunch?" he said and wrinkled his nose. "You smell."

She laughed as she could smell the sweat herself. She got up on her feet and stretched her sore limbs from sitting on the hard floor.

"Do you have extra clothes I can borrow? It won't help much if I use these clothes again."

"I'll see what I have. You can go to the bathroom and I'll put them by the door."

"Thanks", she said and gave him a peck on the cheek. With the kiss before and the peck she couldn't help but feel unfaithful. To both Jules and Dylan. Dylan didn't know about Jules. Jules probably thought I had ended it with Dylan. And Jules was the one at home reading about runes which had killed _her_ parents. Why had she felt so abandoned before? He may not be everything she needs, but he gives her everything he has. Once again she pushed down her loud and chaotic thoughts and went to the bathroom.

As soon as the water touched her body she felt calm. As if it washed away all worry.

When she stepped out she saw clothes lying outside the door as Dylan had promised. There was a pair of skinny black jeans and a blue shirt. She used the same underwear as she'd had before since she both suspected and kinda hoped he didn't have any extra of them. The clothes must have been some of his smallest but they still hung loosely to her frame. That made it easier to hide her seraph blades under the shirt.

Back in the living room she saw plates with chicken on the table. Dylan came in with glasses in his hands. Emma followed him with her eyes as he walked over to put them down. He caught her staring.

"What?"

She smiled and felt as if the last hour had been washed off in the shower. "Nothing, it's just-", she said and walked up to him. With his hands in hers she gave him a kiss.

"Just what?" he chuckled and looked down at her.

"You're so normal."

He laughed at that. "Is that good thing?"

She kissed him again. "Very."

At that moment she told herself: screw it.

Her parents were already dead. There was no way to get them back. Why did she need to go up against demons when she had nothing to gain? What she needed was a normal mundane life. A life where she could expect to have a normal lunch while watching TV. Playing videogames until every part of the body hurt from sitting on the cold floor. Having a boyfriend who you could actually be with.

That was the difference between Jules and Dylan. She could be with Dylan. No law to hold against her. A life with Jules only meant a life with a _parabatai_. Nothing else. She knew deep down she and Jules would always feel something more even if they had other partners, but they couldn't help it. They couldn't be more.

Dylan must have seen something was troubling her because he started giving her small kisses on her cheeks in an attempt to make her smile. He succeeded.

"Hungry?" he asked.

She was interrupted by his phone ringing. He motioned for her to wait there as he answered it in the kitchen. She sat down in the couch and turned on the TV.

When he came back he wore a worried expression. "What about eating out today?"

"Why? You've already made lunch." She couldn't look away from the chickens lying on those plates. They really looked tasty and she was hungry.

"C'mon, I'll buy you dinner", he said and put on a jacket without asking her again. She sighed and looked down at her clothes. Was she really going out like that? She wore clothes at least 4 sizes too big. But something about the way he behaved made her follow him without questioning.

He gave her another jacket of his and led her out of the apartment. Gosh, he wanted to get out of there.

When they stood at the sidewalk outside the building he finally smiled again.

"Somewhere special you wanna go?" he asked intertwined her fingers in his.

"I don't know", she said and quirked an eyebrow. "You're the one who didn't wanna stay home."

"Then I guess I'll decide?" She nodded. "I know a place just one or two blocks from here."

"Good because I'm hungry."

As they walked Dylan started to getting worried. Not that he said so but because she felt him tense beside her.

"What's up?" she asked.

"What? Nothing", he said as he kept glancing in every direction.

"There must be something or you wouldn't act as if we were followed."

"We're not being followed."

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "I hope not. Then you can stop looking for somebody."

He put an arm around shoulders and smiled at her. "Sorry."

She relaxed but tensed up again as he led her into an alley. It was the typical scary place that you could see in a horror movie before somebody got killed.

Sure, she liked the movies, but she didn't wish to be in one.

"Dylan, there is no restaurant here."

He didn't answer. When she looked up at him he saw how pressed his lips together in worry and he creased his eyebrows as if I was concentrating.

"What are we doing, Dylan?"

He led her behind a container hiding from the street. "Stay here, Emma."

They hunched down to hide. Not that she knew why. "Please, tell me what we are doing."

He didn't get to answer since all his concentration was on a big creature which made its way into the small alley. Bigger than any human being. It was something between a cockroach and a slug. Emma knew what it was. A behemoth. A demon.

She looked at Dylan who looked a bit worried. How would she make it out of this? Two demons to fight. One mundane to protect. This was worse than a horror movie. This was the everyday life of a shadowhunter.

**Hey! New chapter. It's been long since last time. 15 days or so? Trust me, I've had more homework than I'd want to have (as if I'd want any) and haven't been able to write. I wrote this chapter last night and have been editing it today between different homework. To make up to it I'm updating twice today. Partially because I want to give you a kind of where-do-Emma-and-Jules-stand-explanation thing. Since I gave you very much Demma (?) and not so much Jemma. It won't be a Jemma chapter though just a chapter where he will participate a bit more in. Okay, like five sentences. Okay, I'm gonna be honest: I'm just gonna post two chapters. **

**Geez.**

**Hope you liked this chapter! (And the next one.) **


	32. Chapter 32

What was it with Dylan and demons? Did he have some kind of magnet?

"Dylan, I have to…"

She didn't care to finish. Instead she ran towards the behemoth while taking out her seraph blades. Behind her she heard Dylan shout at her.

"There are two of them!"

Two. He was right. Following the first one came a second. She stopped dead in her tracks to come up with a way to kill both of them and at the same time protect Dylan. The thing with these demons was that they were so damn hard to kill. You needed to wound them several times just to exhaust them. They healed themselves so you had to be fast. That had to be her plan. Stab it so many times it just…died. Working out plans wasn't really her field. More like Cristina's or Jules'. It was easier said than done though. She was on the edge of being killed several times before she killed the first one. It disappeared and she looked over to the second one. It was a bit bigger than the first one. Then that was the first time she thought of Dylan. She hadn't given him a second thought since she'd started fighting the behemoth. She looked behind her at the spot where she'd seen him last. Behind the container. He was gone. Where was he? She really hadn't time for that now.

"Dylan!" she growled as she jumped up on the second demon. She sliced the surface of its skin and couldn't help but feel disgusted by it. That was one giant…slugroach.

It moved and she lost the balance. Her head knocked against the asphalt. The world before her was moving and she couldn't will it to stop. Quickly she shook her head to make it stop, but it hadn't changed when she opened her eyes again.

"Dylan!" she shouted again. She needed to know where he was. He couldn't be left alone with a demon if she passed out.

She could feel arms carry her then. "Dylan?"

"Easy there, Ems", he whispered in her ear. At first she thought it was Jules. Dylan had never called her anything besides Emma. But she knew it was him as she looked up at him. His face was stern. He put her down on the ground with one arm to carry her up. He stretched out the other hand against the demon as if to tell it not to get any closer.

"Dylan, it won't work…"

But it did work. Not telling it to not come any closer but what he actually did. Light stronger than fire shot out from his palm and Emma had to close her eyes not to be blinded. When she opened them again she saw ash on ground before it disappeared.

"Dylan…"

She stared at the spot where the ash had just been. What had he done? _What was he?_

"Can you run yourself?" he asked as if what he'd just done was just normal. He was a mundane for the angel's sake!

"Dylan, what…?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. "We need to get you to the Institute. Now. Can you run or not?"

"I can run", she answered weakly. The Institute. He knew what she was.

He started running and she followed him no matter how much she wanted to stop him and confront him. If he, whatever he was, wanted her, a shadowhunter, to run he must have a good reason. Because shadowhunters don't run away.

They stopped by Dylan's car and she hesitated before she hoped in. Was it safe? She still didn't know what he was. He opened her door from the driver's seat and motioned for her to get in. She didn't move.

"Please, Ems", he pleaded.

It'd be safer than to wait for more demons she decided and hoped in. They drove in silence. Not awkwardly but because they had nothing to say to each other. Dylan would surely not answer any of Emma's questions and he was too concentrated on the road as he shot through the streets of Los Angeles.

They got to the Institute faster than Emma thought was possible.

She waited for Dylan to get out but he just turned off the engine and leaned back in his seat breathing slowly.

"Are we gonna go inside?" she asked.

He chuckled. "I don't think I'll be allowed inside."

"Please, you have to come. You obviously know something about this. Help us."

"Why would I help you, Emma", he asked slowly. "We're not even the same species."

"What are you then?"

He turned his head a little to look at her and gave her a small smile. "You don't have a name for me."

"Are you a demon?"

The small smile didn't leave his face. "Part of me."

"Are you a warlock then?"

He seemed to consider it. "I wouldn't say so."

"Because you don't like the name or because you aren't one."

A second of silence. "Both."

She sighed and opened her door and got out. But she wouldn't leave him there. She went over to his side and opened his door. "You're coming with me."

A smirk came onto his face. "I guess I am." He got out and grasped her wrist before she could lead the way through the gates. She turned to him and he took her in his arms. She wasn't sure of him but he was still the boy she felt safe and normal with. Somehow she didn't care he wasn't that normal. Not right then. He'd been the last ounce of normal and she wouldn't let go of it.

He gave her a kiss. It was full of relief, because of what she did not know. Maybe because she hadn't run away from him yet. Why hadn't she? He admitted he was part demon. She was a shadowhunter. Shadowhunters fought demons. But Malcolm Fade was part demon. Tessa was too. He could have a reasonable explanation and she was gonna be there to listen to it. Yet, in that moment she couldn't think of anything else than the kiss and his fingers stroking her wrists.

That was until she heard a cough from the gate. They pulled apart and saw Jules standing there. He didn't give Dylan a second look. He only looked at Emma and a disappointed look at that. Before she could stop him to give him any kind of explanation he turned his back at them and went inside.

She felt Dylan leaning closer to her ear and whisper, "We should go inside."

She nodded in a silent agreement. Had she just ruined her relationship with Jules or worse their friendship? That was the time she realized later that day. The time she made her decision. She knew what was right. Even if not everybody would agree she knew it was better than destroying her friendship with her childhood friend and her own feelings at the same time. She knew who she had true feelings for and it wasn't Dylan. It was time to be true to both of them if not for herself. With Dylan after her she walked into the Institute where Jules was.

**Honestly I don't know if you'll understand what happened. ****_I_**** don't know what happened. Or well I know what happened with Dylan, but that end? I'm not that good at describing feelings. Sorry?**

**Anyway, this is the second chapter today. Now I'll go back down my rabbit hole and never see the light of day again. Just to do my homework. It's about economy. Seriously! I can't even keep track of my own economy. I'll probably become the mad hatter or something. You can start worrying when I start talking about tea. Oh, I do love tea. No, I'm not going crazy yet. If somebody want to become a rabbit or a cat you are more than welcome to come join me. (We're all mad here.) It's always nice to be social while going crazy. Just don't let that heart lady come with you. I need my head if I'm gonna do my homework.**

**Okay, you can start worrying now. I'm going crazy.**

**Hope you liked this chapter!**


	33. Chapter 33

When they got into the Institute Jules sat on a bench in the hall waiting for Emma to come in. His eyes got big when he saw Dylan was still with her. He jumped up and walked up to him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he hissed through gritted teeth. Emma pushed him back.

"Jules, please don't. He's helping us", she said and glanced at Dylan. "I hope so at least."

Jules stared at Emma. "He's a _mundane_!"

Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Dylan roll his eyes. Emma herself had to keep herself from laughing. "Trust me, he's not."

Jules stepped back abruptly as if she'd pushed him and then turned his stare to Dylan. "You're not?"

Dylan shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Then what are you?"

He just shrugged for an answer. He was obviously as annoyed by Jules' presence as he was of Dylan's. Emma suspected it was because Dylan was starting to guess Jules' and hers real relationship. Angel knows, Jules wasn't that good at hiding it.

"He says we don't have a name for it", Emma said and pushed pass him grasping Dylan's wrist as she did so to get him to come with her. Jules was right behind them.

"So what are we doing now?" he asked.

"To start with, Dylan will tell me more about _who the hell he is_. Then we'll return to work with the runes."

Jules stopped for a moment but then jogged up to them. "We're telling him about the runes?"

"Depends on whether I think he can help us or not."

"I can't help you with the runes", Dylan said.

All of them stopped then. "Why?" Jules and Emma said at the same time.

"You don't need to know about them. If they cause any trouble I'll help you stop those who make them, but I can't tell you about the runes."

They needed a moment to process what he said.

"What?" Emma said. "So you know about the runes?"

"Emma", Dylan said and carefully took her hand. "I know a lot more than you think, but I can't tell you all of it. It hasn't done me any good and won't help you either. This investigation won't help your past problems."

She took a step back from him. Her hand fell out of his. "You know about my parents, don't you?"

He stepped closer to her again and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"I know no more than you, Emma."

"But still, you do know more about me than you've let me think."

He looked at her as if she was something he had to care of. Something weak, and Emma didn't like it. "I only know what you've told me. The fact that I know you're a shadowhunter is because I saw where I picked you up every time."

Jules glared at Dylan and didn't seem to trust him at all. "If you ask me, I'd say we kick him out."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but that's because you don't like that I'm going out with him."

"About that", Dylan said, "What are you? Family, exes?

"We're _parabatai_", Emma said before Jules could say something stupid that would get both of them into trouble.

They all stood there in silence for some time. Dylan broke the silence.

"So what are we doing now?"

"You'll help us with what we need to know. I do know you know something", Emma declared.

She led them to her bedroom where she'd left Cristina and Jules hours ago. At that time she'd thought she could run to the normality for a while. If she'd only known normality was scared of her.

Cristina was still in the room reading when they came in. She was just about to say hi when she saw Dylan. She rose to her feet.

"What is _he_ doing here?"

Emma sighed. "All you need to know is that he's not mundane and he's going to help us."

"Not mundane?"

"Not mundane", Dylan repeated.

Cristina didn't look away from Dylan. "How are you gonna help us?"

"I'll help you get rid of whoever is making those runes."

"And he'll tell us more about the runes." He started to interject when Emma interrupted him. "He'll tell us."

Dylan groaned and sat down in an armchair. "It won't help you."

"_We_ decide that."

Emma sat down on her bed. Jules sat down beside her before Dylan could do so. He even put an arm around her shoulders, in a friendly way.

"So do you know who are killing the fey and shadowhunters?" he asked Dylan.

"I have a hint."

"You do know we can't just defeat them", Jules continued. "We need to assure it never happens again."

Dylan raised an eyebrow and looked down at him. "They are killing them with _runes_. It's not like you can move a rune to the block list."

"You sure?" Jules said uncertainly.

"Yes, but you are the shadowhunters. You should know more about this than me."

"We don't even know what you are."

"But I know and that's what's important. What helps you will be my knowledge", Dylan said and pointed at his temple.

Emma sighed and fell down on her back on the bed. "You are confusing me, Dylan. You're just the singer in a band."

"And the guitarist", he pointed out. "But never mind that."

Emma got up on her feet and took a deep breath as if to make herself ready to speak. "We better start this now. Dylan and I will go to the library and take the blue diary with us. Jules and Cristina will stay here doing whatever you did before we got here." She thought it'd be for the best if Dylan and Jules weren't in the same room. Plus, she wanted to know what Dylan was and she was rather sure she wasn't gonna find out if Jules was there giving sneaky comments.

"Why are you going with him?" Jules complained just as Emma had thought he would.

"Because I'm sure you two were good at working together before we came", Emma said and nodded at Cristina. She sat quietly in her chair afraid of interrupting something.

Emma and Dylan left them before Jules could complain any further.

Emma led the way to the big library. It was The Great Library in America and it wasn't trying _not_ to give it away.

"This is big as-", Dylan started.

"Hell? Yeah, but a lot nicer", Emma continued for him. "Sit down on a chair."

Dylan stayed on his feet and walked along the bookshelves, one hand stroking against the spines of the books. She sat down herself and opened the small book. It wasn't like she thought she'd get anything more from it than what she already had. It was what Dylan knew that she wanted to figure out. She also knew it'd take a while until he'd answer her questions.

"So what do you know about the runes?" she asked. Okay, she didn't really have any patience.

He turned to her and quirked an eyebrow. "I've told you already. You don't need to know more than you do. The rest I will help you with. Without telling you anything about the runes." Again he turned to the books to take out one of them. Highly interested he read the description.

With a sigh she rose to her feet and walked over to him. She grabbed his arms and made him turn to her again. She cupped his face with her hands and looked him into his eyes. It was impossible to believe he was a different person than he'd been before. Or well, at least to her. She hadn't known who he really was.

But in that moment she needed him to remember who _she_ was. He needed to remember she was a shadowhunter. He needed to remember she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.

"Dylan, you can't help us if you don't tell us what you need to know." When he opened his mouth to argue she moved her hands to his mouth to shut him up. "No, we do need to know about the runes. It doesn't matter what you think. Not when it comes to this. Not when it comes to doing our job."

He rolled his eyes but didn't say anything since his mouth was still covered by her hands.

"Are you saying yes?" she asked.

He stared at her as if he couldn't believe she was serious.

"What?"

He grabbed her wrists and pushed her hands away from his mouth. "I can't breathe when you're blocking my mouth and nose. Secondly, I can't answer either."

She stepped back a little and crossed her arms. "So what's your answer?"

A brief sigh and a nod. "I will help you." She was going to thank him when it was his turn cover her mouth with his hands. "But only because I want you to learn to trust me again."

She stepped away from his hands. "I trust you."

"Even after you found out I'm not a mundane?" He took her hands in his looking down on them. Afraid to meet her eyes.

"Dylan, I…"

"I understand if you don't want to be with me. Just tell me."

When he finally looked back up at her she couldn't manage to meet his gaze herself.

"Dylan", she began, "I do trust you, but–"

He groaned and looked away. "There's always a but."

She ignored his comment. "I don't know what you and I were exactly, but whatever that was isn't the same now. I liked you for who I thought you were."

"But I haven't changed. The difference is you know I'm not a mundane. "

"That was important for me. I needed that tiny bit of reality. I needed you", she pleaded.

"I can't choose what I am, Emma."

"I know. I'm sorry. Just let me have some time. Let me choose you as you are now."

"But will you choose me as the one I am now?" he asked and let go of her hands. When she looked away he tilted her head with a hand. "Will you?"

"Dylan…"

"Will you?"

"I don't know", she murmured. It wasn't because she didn't know if she liked him or not. Mundane or not. In the back of her, or rather in the front, she thought of Jules. Dylan had been her insurance. Not for love but for life. Shadowhunter versus mundane life. But she knew what she'd choose. She'd always known. Being a shadowhunter was everything for her and she wasn't planning on giving it up. But she knew that Jules was the one she wanted. She hated to make this into a choice because it wasn't. Dylan's and hers relationship had started as something romantic, but now when they stood there she was afraid of losing a friend.

He walked towards the door. "Let me know when you do."

Before a thought passed through her mind and stopped her she shouted, "I know!" She shut her mouth when she realized how stupid she'd made that sound. He turned around before he'd opened the door.

"So?"

"Dylan, you're a friend and it's impossible to see you as anything else, for now."

"For now?" he asked and arched an eyebrow. "When is…then?"

She shook her head slightly and sighed. "Dylan, let me be your friend for now because I don't know if it'll ever be something more."

"Not ever?"

She glared at him. Could he just stop?

"Sorry", he muttered. He took a few steps until he was in front of her again. He offered her a hand. "Friends?"

Instead she hugged him and said, "Friends."

She went to look for Jules after she and Dylan had been in the library. There was no tension between them as she'd though it would be. They had talked about things they'd done. Both of them avoided subjects relating to the shadowhunter world. Dylan had gone home to his place. Before he went she made him promise to come back. And when he came back she would make him tell her what he was and whatever he wasn't telling about the runes.

She found Cristina in her bedroom.

"Hey, where's Jules?"

"Not here. I'm sorry, but he told me to tell you he didn't want to talk to you right now." Cristina seemed to flinch for every word as if they hurt her as much as they hurt Emma. Because they did.

"Why?"

"I don't think he likes Dylan."

Emma snorted. "Oh, I know he doesn't like Dylan, but he can't avoid _me_. He hasn't for 17 years and he won't now."

She left Cristina. As always she knew where Jules would be. If he really wanted to avoid her he really needed to find a new place.

As she'd thought he was on the roof. With his back turned to her he sat on the roof painting on a paper in front of him.

The way he tensed as soon as she came onto the roof she knew he'd heard her.

"Jules?"

No response. She sat down beside him. He was painting the sea again. Something that frightened her so much amazed her _parabatai_.

"It's beautiful", she mumbled.

"You don't like the sea."

"That doesn't mean I don't like it when you paint it."

No response.

"I broke up with Dylan", she confessed. She saw his whole body language change at once. He turned to her with a smile on his face. "I think so at least."

The smile turned to a confused expression. "You think?"

"I don't know what we were to start with, but whatever that was we are just friends now."

"I don't know what I think about that but I'll take it", he said before he hugged her and made her fall down on her back. He supported his weight on his arms beside her head as he looked down her. A smile formed on her lips. He gave her quick kiss and was about to sit up again when she stopped him. She snickered and muttered, "Tease." She cupped his face and made him lean down again and kissed him. He moved over to her neck and gave him small kisses along her jaw.

"Can't help it. You bring out the worst in me", he whispered in her ear.

"If that's the worst", Emma said and spun them around to make her hover above him, "you aren't half as bad as me."

"Being a demon killer doesn't count as worse."

She laughed and leaned down to kiss his collar bone. "It's called shadowhunter. I thought you knew that."

He giggled in a way she never thought he would. "Are you ticklish?" Emma said and a grin spread on her face.

"No", he stated.

"I don't believe you." She placed a kiss on his neck. She heard how he forced down the giggles.

"You're making me crazy", he said and took her face in his hands to bring her closer. Right before their lips met he whispered, "Let's be here forever. Let's never go inside again." He brought their lips together and kissed her. Her lips parted allowing him to deepen the kiss. His hands were in her hair, messing up her neatly done braid. With one hand he let out her hair.

"You better braid my hair later", she said before she kissed him again.

"It's worth it." As if to show what he meant he smelled her hair.

"Gross."

He turned them to the side to make both of them lie on the roof. There he kept kissing her until he came to her collar bone where a blue shirt covered her skin. He grabbed a handful of the cloth. He raised an eyebrow.

"What's this?"

"A shirt", she said and hoped she'd get away with it.

"_Whose_ is it?"

"Dylan's."

"Why are you wearing his clothes?"

"I took a shower at his place. I had no other clothes there so I borrowed his", she answered truthfully.

She studied his face to see if he was angry. He gave her a reassuring smile making sure everything was okay between them and gave her a kiss. "Maybe you can borrow my clothes next time. You'd look even sexier then."

"Or you could borrow mine. I bet you could pull them off."

"I think so too, but let's not test that. I don't want to shock the others with my hotness."

She lay there smiling at how they could just be there. Joking as they'd always done.

And still be so much more.


	34. Chapter 34

A warning knocking sounded from the door to the roof. They were still lying there beside each other but quickly got up as Cristina came out. She arched an eyebrow at them. A tingling feeling in Emma told her she knew what they'd done. It may have been as innocent as just kissing but they still were _parabatai_. No kissing allowed. She stayed by the door.

"There's somebody waiting for you."

"For me or Jules?" Emma asked. She was worried it'd be Dylan. Not that she didn't want to see him. But not right then.

Cristina gave them a smug face. "Oh, I think you both want to hear what this someone has to say."

As they passed her on their way in she leaned closer to Emma to whisper in her ear. "Is he good kisser?"

Emma gave her a scowl back. But she guessed Cristina couldn't be convinced they were nothing more than _parabatai_.

A girl sitting on the bench met them by the main door. Not older than 17 at most. Emma could see she was the same age as them but she couldn't feel it. She was so small. She looked worried and out of place surrounded by the grand architecture. Her ragged dress hung loosely on her frame. That and the fact that her arms were practically thin as twigs showed she'd had little to eat for a long time. She had to put a lot of strength in just getting up on her feet when they came.

She didn't reach out a hand to introduce herself. Instead she did a quick curtsey and looked down. Her dirty blonde hair formed a curtain in front of her face. Not once did she look up at them when she told them who she was. Or rather, who she could not say she was.

"I'm sorry that I can't introduce myself properly. It's just that it's better that way. I will help you in any way I can though."

That way again. Those words were so close to what Dylan had said. He couldn't tell them who he was or what his role was. But he'd help them.

"Has somebody sent you?" Emma asked as she saw through it at once.

The girl's eyes flickered around the room until they focused on a plant in the corner of them room. "No."

"Did Dylan send you?"

"No." That was too quick to be true.

"So he _did_ send you?" Emma said smugly and crossed her arms, raising a knowing eyebrow. "What does he think you can help us with?"

Even though that girl was anything than intimidating there was something in her posture. Her posture didn't show a little girl. She had the posture of somebody who had a will as well as a mind of her own. There was not a chance somebody could make her do something, without her allowing it. She was just a little broken at the moment with a _Come back later_-sign up. But something had told her to come back sooner than she'd wanted. Emma was going to find out who she was. Didn't matter if it was necessary or not. But first she needed food.

"Do you want anything to eat?"

Hope sparkled in her eyes. "Do you have chocolate?"

Emma chuckled and looked over at Cristina and Jules. "You're the food people. I give you all responsibility."

Jules grinned and with an arm around the girl he led her to the kitchen. "I think we have some chocolate, but you need real nutrition too."

Their voices, or mainly Jules' voice talking about salad and broccoli, died down when they left Cristina and Emma behind.

Emma looked after them and didn't notice Cristina staring at her at first.

"What?"

"You never answered my question before."

Emma knew all too well what she meant but played oblivious. "What question?"

She rolled her eyes and sat down on the bench where they'd seen the girl a few minutes before. "Is he a good kisser?"

Emma gave her shocked face as if she'd said something scandalous. Theoretically it was, but no need to think about that then.

"We are _parabatai_."

"Yet, that doesn't seem to stop you", Cristina smirked.

"You are impossible, Cristina", she said and sat down beside her.

Cristina leaned closer to her. "So are you gonna answer?"

"Yes." A blush creeped up on her face.

"Yes as in answering the question or in he was good kisser?"

"Yes, yes to both." If she wasn't red as a beetroot already she sure was then. Cristina nudged her mockingly.

"Emma! I never thought you'd be the one to – to –"

"To hook up with the _one_ I'm not allowed to be with?" she offered.

"No, well yes", she snickered, "but what I _meant_ to say was – yeah, basically that."

Emma sighed and leaned back on the wall. "It's a surprise to me too. Trust me, I did not choose to like him. Like like him I mean", she added.

"So you have like real feelings for him?"

"Seriously, Cristina, do you expect me to throw myself at somebody I can't have and not feel _anything_?"

She covered her giggles with a hand.

"What?" Emma said annoyed.

"Throw yourself at him?"

"Again, you are impossible, Cristina."

Cristina leaned forward and started to get up. "Well, I am going to make sure that girl gets something to eat. If she is as important as Dylan implies to think she better be alive to tell us."

They went to the kitchen together to see Jules and the girl at first. But sitting by the counter were Tavvy and Dru. They stared at the girl as if she was an alien. Actually none of them knew what she was so why not? But Emma liked to just keep the possibilities to the species they'd seen.

"I'm making a chicken stew and a chocolate sundae for desert", Jules informed them. "You want some too?"

"Do you think anybody in the house will say no?" Emma asked him. "You should make enough for the whole household."

Jules looked worried and mouthed at her "Mark too?"

She knew they couldn't let the girl see Mark. Innocent looking or not. They couldn't risk Mark being exposed and brought to the Clave for interrogation. They all knew the interrogation wouldn't just be questions. Still she nodded. Even if he couldn't eat with them he could have some later.

Where was he even? She hadn't seen him or Ty, Livvy, Jaime or Diego since she'd come home. When she came to think of it she hadn't seen Diana and Arthur for even longer.

"I'm just gonna go look for the others", she excused herself and left. Before she was too far away she called over her shoulder "Wait for me before you eat!"

She found the young shadowhunters in the living room. Ty sat close to Mark in a couch with the cat Oscar in his lap. He was gently stroking him and smiled a little when its head against his palm. Jaime sat pressed between Livvy and Diego in another couch. Emma thought maybe she had misjudged the brothers. Livvy wasn't the one to just trust anybody. She gave everybody a chance but as soon as they misused it she wouldn't speak to the person again. Apparently neither of the brothers had misused it yet.

Livvy was talking about something she planned to do next day. Something about all of them going out in garden for a picnic. She knew it was dangerous for Mark to go anywhere and compromised by being nearby.

Emma knocked on the wall clarifying she was there.

Everybody's gaze turned to her. Even Oscar gave her a glare. She suspected he didn't really like her. It didn't make it any better that she interrupted Ty when he was stroking him.

"Hey, we have somebody visiting. She's in the kitchen", she said and gave Mark a warning look. Hoping he'd understand he shouldn't go there. "Do you know where Diana and Arthur are?"

Mark shrugged. "Don't know. Haven't seen them since this morning."

She said goodbye and started to go to the attic. That was where Arthur used to be. But she was stopped by the main door.

The door sprang open and on the other side were Diana and Arthur. In full gear.

"Hey, I've been looking –", Emma began.

"Emma, we need your help", Diana cut in. "Put on your gear and we'll leave."

"Do you want me to go get the others?"

"No, don't tell them. Don't answer their questions and come straight back here when you've changed."

They were running along the shore and they had still not told Emma what they were running _to_. On her way to the room she'd met Dru. Dru had asked her what she was rushing for but all she'd managed to squeeze out was "For a run". She wasn't good at lying in stressed situations.

When Emma started to see the outlines of bodies on the beach she could guess what had happened. The moment they came to the bodies she could see she was right. Emma gasped at the sight of them. Three bodies, all shadowhunters, were covered in red runes.

"Th-they are the same", she stuttered.

Diana stood beside her and lay a hand on her shoulder. "The same runes as on your parents, yeah."

"They're really back then?"

"I'm so sorry, Emma."

Arthur crouched beside the corpse of a woman. "They were good shadowhunters."

Emma recognized the three of them as passersby at the Institute. As people who went straight to Arthur who was the head of the Institute. Since none of the younger ones were above eighteen except Cristina, none of them attended the meetings. They had sneaked in a couple of times, but seven children sneaking into a meeting rarely went unnoticed. Making a long story short, it usually ended with them being kicked out.

These were shadowhunters who attended these meetings. The woman was Natalia and had two sons. They had trained with them from time to time. For a few years the family had been in Idris, but had come back just recently. The boys had to be about fifteen years, both of them. Close to her body were two men. One of them Emma didn't recognize. The other was Natalia's husband. The children were orphans now. That broke the last piece between her and the panic that came. She fell down on her knees but couldn't bring herself to cry. There was a point when tears weren't enough to explain the feelings.

Arthur and Diana went to sat beside her but they didn't talk to her. Instead they talked to each other.

"We shouldn't have brought her, Diana. She's been through enough of this already."

"You know we had to tell them some time. And you know Emma is the most reasonable."

Emma let out a laugh. "Can you just _shut up_?" she shouted and jumped up on her feet. Their eyes went wide by the sudden change in her mood. "Two boys became orphans just hours ago and my guess is that they don't even know. If you don't mind, I'm gonna find out who the hell is doing this."

With that she marched away. They ran after her before she even went five feet.

"Do you know what we can do?" Diana asked.

"Aren't you gonna ask the Clave first? If I'm not wrong this _should_ concern them."

They both hesitated at first. "They don't want us to look any further into this", Arthur explained.

"And why is that?"

"It's 'none of our business' according to them."

"And you're gonna listen to them?" Emma wondered and arched an eyebrow.

"Well", Diana said, "that's why we came to you."

"Because I never listen?"

"Basically."

Emma if anybody knew how important it was to stop whoever was doing this but she was also the one who knew the boys needed to know about their parents. If not they would be worried sick at the time they should come home. Worried that something had happened to them. Something that actually had. Still she thought it'd be easier to know than not knowing.

Diana and Arthur had followed her to their house. Emma felt as if they were two worried teenagers standing behind her when she knocked on the door. They didn't like to be the ones to tell the boys.

The older boy opened.

"Emma?" He had changed over the years. The short dark hair had grown longer and reached his jawline. His chin had hints of a beard. He must have been sixteen at least.

"Casper, hey", she mumbled with a small wave.

He leaned on the doorway and gave her a bright smile. It made her feel even worse that she was gonna change that in a few minutes.

"Can I talk to you and your brother?"

"Yeah, sure. Come in." He moved out of their way and called for his brother.

She had told them a few minutes ago and they still sat as question marks by the kitchen table. Diana and Arthur sat awkwardly beside Emma. Casper's younger brother Zander was the first to break the silence.

"Do you know who…who did it?"

"If anything we're getting closer", Emma said and thought about Dylan and the new girl. And the warlock Jules had met.

"You'll find them?"

"Yes."

Diana cut in, "We'll try."

"We'll find them", Emma assured them once again. She didn't only promise them but herself. Something that had started as something personal had evolved into something her friend were affected by. Still she couldn't disappoint herself.

They were quiet again until Arthur spoke up.

"Do you have somebody to be with tonight? We don't want to leave you alone now."

"We won't go after the murderers right now, don't worry", Casper said and gave him a half smirk. "But we'll probably go to our grandma."

"Do you want us to help you with anything?" Emma asked.

Casper took one of her hands and looked at her. "Just find them, Emma. And make sure they'll pay for it."

When they came back it didn't take long until Jules came running to them and swept Emma into a hug. He buried his face in her neck giving her small kisses. Discreetly enough for nobody else to notice.

"Where were you?" he whispered in her ear.

"Jogging?" she suggested.

He pulled back and looked down on her clothes. "In full gear?"

"I'll tell you later", she said when she looked over his shoulder and saw the girl.

"Alright, but you have to understand I was worried. Dru tells me you are going for a run, then you're seen running out the house in _gear_."

"Maybe I'll tell you next time."

"You promise?" he asked and quirked an eyebrow.

"Isn't maybe enough?" she whined.

"Good enough", he sighed and looked over at Arthur and Diana. "Dinner is done. It'll be cold soon if you don't come already."

During the whole dinner Emma glanced at the new girl. She was diving into the food and didn't stop even to answer questions. Emma hoped she'd answer them later though. Not another day should go wasted now. Three shadowhunters had died. Diana and Arthur didn't stay for dinner to go back to the bodies. They were still trying to figure out what to do with them. They needed them to look at the runes, but knew from other cases that the bodies would fall apart as soon as you moved them.

Jules kept nudging her arm while they were eating, looking for attention. Not for himself, but to make sure she was alright. She wondered what she must look like. First going to find three dead bodies and then telling the children to two of them. And to top it all the children were old friends. They still hadn't told the third shadowhunter's relatives.

"I'm fine", she kept repeating, every time answered with raised eyebrows.

A-R-E Y-O-U S-U-R-E?

She winced when he formed the first letter. They hadn't communicated that way for some time. She relaxed when she realized what he was doing.

T-A-L-K L-A-T-E-R?

A nod.

Jules came to Emma's room later. After a quick kiss he sat down next to her in bed. He held one of her hands in his.

"How are you?" was his first question.

"Holding up."

"Where were you today?"

"Diana and Arthur found three bodies by the beach today, with runes", she began. "Two of them were Casper's and Zander's parents. I went to tell them."

"Oh my… I'm so sorry." He put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a hug.

"It's worse for them."

"I mean that you needed to relive…to see. And that it was on the beach. I know how you feel about the sea."

The sea. She hadn't even understood that she actually had been by the sea. Every time she went to the beach with the others she did it for them. She never went swimming and stayed as long from the water as possible.

"I didn't even realize. Too much else to think about", she whispered.

"I want to come with you next time. You shouldn't have to do these things without your _parabatai_."

"I did fine on my own. And I had Diana and Arthur with me."

"I know you can do anything on your own, but I like to think you need me sometimes too", he mumbled under her breath as if he didn't really want her to hear. She turned to him.

"Don't say that. I need you. I've always needed you. You helped me with taking care of the girl today."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm the babysitter."

"Stop it, Jules. I'll never regret being your parabatai and have you next to me in battles."

"_Never_ regret it?" he asked. She knew what he meant. He asked her if she'd ever regret it because they could never be together.

"Jules, I want to be your parabatai more than anything." When she saw him frown she quickly added, "But I still want to be with you. You mean more to me than anybody else."

"I like you too", he said and kissed her nose.

She grinned at him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Obviously the calm was interrupted by a knock on the door. Like last time it was Cristina who peeked in. "Psst."

"What?" they said in choir.

"Where will the girl sleep?"

"The babysitter is on his way", Jules said and got up.

Emma sighed, but smiled a little. "See you later."

Before he closed the door he looked back at her. "I'll come back." He winked at her and left.

He did come back. A few hours later when she had gone to bed she heard him sneak in. the weight in the bed shifted as he lay down beside her under the covers. Before she fell asleep she felt a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Good night, Ems."


	35. Chapter 35

**Cristina's POV**

After dinner that night Cristina had gone to Mark. Just to give him dinner and check up on him. He'd been distant ever since he'd come back. Not that she knew what he'd been like before. The only time she'd met him was at some meeting both of their fathers had attended to.

On her way there she ran into Diego. Literally into. They turned around a corner at the same time. She almost dropped the plates as her nose flattened against his chest. She couldn't describe it any less than awkward.

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"Hi, see you later", she said and rushed on, but once again she almost dropped the plates when he grasped one of her wrists.

"Tina, wait." She almost boiled of anger when she noticed the chicken stew had flown over from the plate onto her hand because of him.

"See what you did!" she said and shoved it in his face. A blush creeped up his face from the surprise.

"Uh, sorry." He stepped back and drew his fingers through his hair. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Then get it over with."

He hesitated for a bit. "Well, now I feel pressured."

"Talk or you don't talk, Diego. Now."

"Okay, I just want you to know that I'll back off until you decide what'll happen."

She stared at him with wide eyes. "Are you serious?" He looked surprised at her answer. "What I'll decide? You know what I've already decided and it's not being with you. I'm not going through an arranged marriage because you and my parents tell me to. _I_ decide what happen in my life."

"But Tina –"

"Is there anything wrong?" a voice came up behind her. Diego took another step back.

"Hi, Mark. No, we just talked." Without saying anything else he left.

Cristina looked up at Mark and smiled a grateful smile.

"Was there anything wrong?" he asked.

"No, just the usual. Hey", she said and raised the plates with food. One with the sundae, the other with the stew, "I've got food."

Mark's room was basically like all the others. When Cristina had come to the Institute she'd redecorated the room the same day. If she was gonna live there she wanted it to look like it too. Nobody else seemed to have had the same thought. Mark's room was dark and dusty just like Emma's. Cristina didn't dare to tell her that though. She highly suspected she'd regret it.

Mark sat in his bed with the plate with the stew in his lap. None of them had talked since they'd got there. Cristina had sat down on a chair without a word.

"So how was the Wild Hunt?" she asked to break the silence. He choked on the stew and stared at her. "What's wrong?"

He swallowed and put away the plate. "It's just that – Nobody has dared to ask me before."

"Well, I just did."

Something as simple as a chuckle escaped his lips but Cristina couldn't remember him ever heard him done that yet. It made her feel a bit proud and she smiled.

"Okay", he started, "The Wild Hunt was…I can't describe it really. Not that I don't want to but you have to have been there to know. Time passes differently. For me it feels like the moment I became a part of it was decades ago. At first I didn't know my family was alive and it was awful. For what felt like years I thought so. When I found out they were alive it became easier in some ways, but I also felt like I'd abounded them. The others in the Wild Hunt were different. They didn't think about their family. They had been there too long. I would have been that way too if I didn't have something to hold on to. I got…friends there too. They helped me stay 'me' I guess you could say."

He stopped there. Cristina knew he was right about what he'd said, it must be hard to describe something so different from her own reality.

"I 'm glad you're home anyway. Your family has missed you."

"But they managed without me", he said and laughed a sad laugh.

"You haven't been here. The way they have changed since you came. They haven't been this happy during the time I've been here. Even Ty is different. I think he's missed you the most based on how he's been following you around."

"We were close before I left."

Cristina knew what was wrong then. Mark didn't see it for what it was. He saw it as he had left not been abducted.

She went over to sit beside him. She put an arm around him just to show him she cared. Cared for him when he needed to go through this. Adapting to something he'd been away from for so long. He leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Thank you", he whispered.

"What for?"

"For asking questions."

She snickered. "I'm good at asking questions. Whenever you need to you can come to me."

"Thank you."

**Emma POV**

"Emma", she woke up to the next morning. Small kisses were placed on her neck. "Emma."

She startled and it resulted in almost pushing Jules off the bed. "Emma!"

At the last moment she got a hold of his shoulders and helped him up again.

"Why are you scaring me like that?"

His eyes went wide. "Me? Scaring you? You were the one to push me off the bed!"

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't scared me."

He chuckled and placed an arm around her. "Sorry for trying to be romantic and wake you up with kisses."

She gave him a peck on the nose. "Warn me next time you're being romantic."

He rolled his eyes at that. "That'll make it so special."

"At least you won't make me hurt you."

With another kiss on her cheek he answered her, "I won't let you."

"You're so dramatic, Jules, you know that?"

He rolled his eyes and groaned. "You really won't let me be romantic just once, will you?"

"Nope", she said and popped the p. Without taking the conversation any further he leaned in again and kissed her lips. She kissed back without hesitating feeling his arms wrap around her waist.

The door sprang open before any of them could react. In came Cristina and sat down in a chair. Just like that. With a smile on her face she opened her mouth to talk but closed it again as she saw the awkward position they were in.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Emma could see Jules blush. Thankfully she could put herself together to answer.

"No, we just woke up."

"And everybody wake up by making out?" she asked skeptically.

"We weren't making out", Jules said uncomfortable.

"Yeah, you were", Cristina said at the same time as Emma said, "We were."

Jules glared at Emma and mouthed, "Not helping." She shrugged and looked at Cristina again.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. Just checking up on you. Making sure you're aware of that little rule The Clave just doesn't want to forget.

Jules groaned and covered his head with a blanket. Usually Emma would have laughed at him but what Cristina was talking about was serious.

"I know we can't be together. But maybe they can just ignore us for like until we die?" she suggested.

Jules looked up from the blanket. A big smile was on his lips. "Does that mean you want to be with me forever?"

Emma covered him with the blanket again. "Shut up."

"You know they're gonna find out", Cristina said.

"I know. I just wanna see how it works out and then maybe we'll ask them if they could allow us to live our own lives."

"Are you considering breaking up with me?" Jules muffled voice came from underneath the blanket.

"No, just saying I won't risk my whole future if we _are_ breaking up."

"That's practically the same thing!"

"Oh, just be quiet", Emma said and rolled her eyes.

"So if you stay together", Cristina said, "you will tell the Clave?"

"I guess we'll have to."

"But it won't be today?"

"No", Emma assured her.

Cristina shrugged and leaned back in the chair. "Then you might want to get up and pretend something else. People from the Clave as well as the Inquisitor are coming here _today_."

Both Emma and Jules jumped up from the bed and stared at her.

"Today?" they said at once.

"Yes, they're coming to look into the killings in LA."

"Jules!" Emma shouted as Jules shouted back. "Emma!"

"Let me speak, Jules!" she scowled. "We cannot let them see _us_ when they're here."

Jules rolled his eyes. "No shit? I know that." He turned to Cristina. "You're not telling?"

She looked offended. "Of course not! I'm your friend." She seemed to think something through and then pointed at both of them. "You won't tell them anything about me either, will you?"

"What have you done wrong?" Emma asked.

Cristina shrugged. "Nothing I suppose, but I don't know _all_ the rules."

"Do you know when they'll be here?"

"No idea, but I also know they'll not be the _only_ ones coming."

Emma sighed. Probably somebody even worse was her guess. "Who?"

"Don't look so terrified. I think you'll be happy with this one. Since The Clave don't want you to investigate the killings, but Arthur wants to he's decided to invite some people. People who thinks the same as him. Who will support our cause."

"Who?" Emma asked again as she was starting to get tired of all the talking.

"Just some people from New York."

"New York?" Jules asked and Emma knew he'd come to the same conclusion as her when she saw how excited he was.

"As in The Lightwoods and Clary and Jace?" she asked.

"And Magnus and Simon, yes", Cristina said. With that she got up and left.

Jules and Emma stood there and stared at each other.

"They'll help us with the runes", Emma said. Jules was about to hug her but Emma pushed him away. "No hugging. The Clave is still coming."

"But as a friend?"

"Not gonna risk it", she warned.

"But –"

"Nope!"

Those from the New York Institute came before The Clave. The first one to pass through the portal was Clary. Her red hair was a distinct feature Emma recognized immediately. Emma ran into her arms as soon as she saw her. Right after her came Jace and the rest of them. Everybody in the Los Angeles Institute were gathered to welcome them. The only one who wasn't there was Cristina who was guarding the girl. They still didn't know who she was and didn't want to find out she was a murderer after she had gone berserk.

When all of them had gone through the portal it closed. All of them were hugging one another. Alec was going wherever Magnus went holding his hand. Both of them were wearing rings on their left hands. Their wedding had been only two months ago. It wasn't a usual Shadowhunter wedding since Magnus couldn't wear runes. Neither was it a religious one since none of them had really had a mundane religion. Instead they had a ceremony where they just exchanged rings and declared themselves married. They'd gone on a honeymoon and Emma knew they couldn't have been home for more than a week. Magnus had planned the vacation and Emma had heard they'd gone to ten different countries. She'd received a postcard from Magnus saying they'd just left Kenya and had four more countries planned and that was a month ago.

Emma couldn't believe she finally met everybody again. She'd missed them so. The last time had been at the wedding.

"Hey, you've grown!" Jace exclaimed as he hugged Tavvy.

"I saw you two months ago", Tavvy said but smiled proudly.

Isabelle went over to Emma. Her dark hair was in a ponytail. "I heard you needed our help."

"Yeah, we need you to convince The Clave."

"So I've heard. Not the first time we've had to convince them into actually doing something though."

"I'm happy you're helping us, Izzy."

"We didn't think twice about it, Emma", she assured her and gave her a quick hug.

Cristina and Emma were doing the dishes after breakfast. The others were somewhere talking about what they'd do as The Clave came.

Cristina went quiet suddenly and Emma was about to turn around when a pair of hands covered her eyes.

"Guess who?"

She laughed. "You're my _parabatai_, Jules. I would recognize your voice anywhere." He let his hands fall down on her shoulders and spun her around.

"Hello, beautiful", he said and kissed her. She kissed him back before she pushed him away.

"Not anymore, Jules."

"But we're alone", he whined.

Cristina coughed to make them aware of her presence.

"Sorry, Cristina", Jules said but didn't really mean it as he smiled brightly.

They didn't have time to say anything else as Arthur ran in and told them The Clave was coming.

Emma and Jules looked at each other. They both knew what that meant. Just friends.

"You coming?" Cristina asked by the doorway.

"Yes", they both answered. Before they left the room they kissed one last time for what would feel like forever.


	36. Chapter 36

"So…" Jaime started as he went to stand beside Livvy. The inquisitor, Robert Lightwood had just gone through the portal after three more from the Clave. "Will you be busy the following days too?"

Livvy greeted the Lightwood with a smile before she turned to Jaime and frowned.

"Not as much as the others, but I'll still be busy. Why?"

He shrugged. "Just wondering."

"Are you gonna miss me?" she mocked him.

"No!" he answered a little too fast. "It's just –"

"I'm the only one talking to you?"

Two more from the Clave in Idris stepped through the portal before it closed. Isabelle and Alec stood by their father. Didn't matter that they stood close to each other. By the way they were to one another they could have been miles apart. Magnus came to join them. Only to give Alec support. Robert had started to accept Alec's and Magnus' relationship, but he was still a bit uncomfortable about it.

Livvy had been watching them without paying any attention to Jaime. That's why she jumped when he touched her forearm. He stared straight ahead when she looked up at him.

"Yes", he breathed.

"What?" she asked and quirked an eyebrow. She knew very well what he talked about but she wanted to hear him say it.

He knew she understood too and rolled his eyes when she insisted. "I will miss talking to you because you are in fact the only one who's talking to me."

"I know", she said and grinned.

Robert had seemed to relax a bit by then. Patting Alec's shoulder and laughing along with his children and Magnus. Livvy couldn't help but smile at the sight. She turned to Jaime when she'd come to the point where she felt as if she was spying.

"They will be talking for a while and I won't be needed. Wanna go to a café or something?"

"Café sounds good", Jaime said with a shrug as if he didn't care. Livvy knew he was happy though. She had seen the last couple of days had worn him down as everybody pretended not to be aware of him.

Livvy had told Emma she heading out along with Jaime. She knew everybody always panicked when somebody didn't tell anybody they were heading out. Emma had given her a weird look before she nodded and told her to have fun.

"Come on." She linked arms with Jaime and lead their way out.

"Aren't the others worried about you spending all this time with me?" Jaime asked. Based on his expression Livvy might think he was worried about her.

"Why would they be? I've been out with friends before."

His expression didn't seem to become any happier about that.

They sat at the café with their coffee between them. Jaime was whirling a spoon in his coffee. Not looking up at Livvy.

"What's the matter?" she asked as she took a sip of her own coffee. He still didn't look up. He ended up spilling some of the drink on the able. In the end Livvy started snapping with her fingers in front of his face. That got his attention.

"What?"

"Why are you acting so weird?"

"I'm not weird", he defended himself.

"I didn't say you were weird just that you were acting weird. Difference."

He shook his head but a smile was playing on his lips. To hide it he took a sip of his coffee.

The cups were flowery with golden edges. Cups Livvy thought they could belong in Jem's and Tessa's house. The café was rather empty for being the typical coffee break time of the day. Two or three groups were in there and two waitresses were running out from and in to the kitchen.

When Jaime finally put down the cup on the table again he spoke.

"Will Diego and I need to go home now when the Clave is here?"

Livvy shrugged. Truly unaware of the answer. Jaime and Diego had come for another reason. Livvy didn't know what reason since she hadn't asked, but she was fairly sure they didn't just drop by to pay them a visit.

"I don't know. Why did you come here in the first place?"

When she saw his expression then she knew that was a question he didn't want to be asked.

"It's nothing special really. I just wanted to visit Cristina. Diego, Cristina and I used to be really close." Livvy rose a doubting eyebrow. "I said _used_ to be. That changed a few years ago, but that doesn't mean she's very dear to us."

"What happened?" Livvy wondered.

He took an awfully long before he answered. When he answered he was looking out through the window and wore a sad smile. "We grew up."

Back in the Institute Livvy and Jaime had parted. Jaime going to his brother and Livvy going to Cristina and Emma. She really wanted to find out why what Jaime was keeping from her. Why Cristina no longer was a friend of him and his brother.

She found them in Cristina's room. That had been the last place she'd looked for them. At first she'd asked Jules and thought he'd even be with them. Instead he had been with Ty and Mark. Trying to get Ty's attention. Livvy could see it wore on his pride that Ty no longer went to him when wanting to talk. Ty's and Mark's bond had been really strong before Mark, well, disappeared. When he hadn't been there Jules had had to step in almost as a substitute. When Mark came back that substitute was no longer needed. That was what Jules thought at least. Livvy knew Ty needed him just as much. None of them knew that yet.

Livvy had found Cristina and Emma when she'd looked for them in every other possible room. She herself had only been in Cristina's room a few times. She thought it was weird how she'd changed so much in it during the short time she'd spent there. Livvy had had her room, shared with Ty, for 15 years. All that had changed over the years were his different kinds of bees and books about Sherlock Holmes. Livvy herself had never seen a reason to change it.

Cristina had let her into her room. It had changed since she'd been there the last time. Another poster was up and a new plant was on the windowsill. Emma sat in Cristina's bed. Cristina sat down beside her.

"Hey, how are you?" Emma asked Livvy.

"Good, I guess. I came to ask you something." When Emma opened her mouth to speak she added, "Or actually with Cristina."

Cristina smiled then. Finally it was her turn to talk. "Okay, shoot."

"What made you stop hanging out with Jaime and Diego?"

Her smile dropped. "What?"

"I said –"

Cristina stopped her. "I heard what you said. I mean why do you ask?"

"Because you really seem to despise one another. Emma too", she added.

"He was rude!" Emma defended herself. Cristina patted her shoulder.

"We just didn't get along. We went different directions and here we are", Cristina explained. Livvy knew that wasn't the whole truth. Frankly, that wasn't even one percent of it. She sat down on the feet of the bed.

"Please, just tell me."

"Perfect Diego is the boy Cristina's mother wants her to marry," Emma said quickly before Cristina could stop her. Cristina looked betrayed. "It's not an arranged marriage, not exactly, it's just that her mother loves him, he's a Rosales —"

"He's related to you?" Livvy asked Cristina. "Isn't that a problem? I mean, I know Clary Fairchild and Jace Herondale are a famous love story, but they weren't actually brother and sister. Otherwise I think it would probably be a …"

"Less famous love story," said Emma, with a grin.

Cristina waved her hand dismissively. "The Rosaleses are a huge Shadowhunting family. I don't think he's even a cousin. My mother just thinks it would help cement the Rosales empire. She thinks he's perfect, so handsome, so smart, such a Shadowhunter, perfect perfect perfect —"

"Goody-two shoes?" Livvy suggested.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"So should I like not like Jaime or –"

"Of course you can like him", Cristina said. "You can like him how much you want."

"Not too much", Emma cut in warningly.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be a good idea. He is kind of a bad boy. Remember to be careful with him."

"Don't worry, we're just friends", Livvy assured them.

"I remember somebody else who said the same thing to me a few weeks ago", Cristina said and wiggled her eyebrows at Emma. Emma pushed her shoulder lightly and laughed.

"Are you talking about Dylan?"

"Yes!" Emma shouted at same time as Cristina said, "No."

"Okay…"

"Was there anything else you needed to ask?"

She shrugged and then remembered something. "That girl who came here yesterday. Where is she now?"

"She has her own room on the second floor", Emma answered. "We take turn guarding her. We don't know who she is yet. Right now Diana is with her. I'll be heading over there soon enough."

"Well, have fun. I need to go now", she said as she stood up. They said goodbye before she left.

She found Jaime where he'd said he'd be. With his brother. They were in Diego's room playing cards. Both of them sat on the covers of the bed with cards between them It looked so peaceful.

Okay, so she hadn't knocked. Then she hadn't seen that scene. Immediately when they saw her they shot up from the bed. Diego hit the ceiling and groaned. Jaime wasn't that tall but missed it with just an inch or so.

He jumped down from the bed and went over to her leading her in and closing the door after her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm socializing. You should try it", she mocked and then looked at the cards. Some were still lying on the bed while some had fallen down on the floor.

"Hey!" Jaime protested. "I was with you all day."

"All day. That's why you avoided me all day?"

Jaime only shrugged him off and sat down on the bed. "So, what's up?"

"I don't know. Just had nothing to do." She sat down in a chair. Diego looked from her to Jaime and back again.

"Are you friends?"

They both looked at him as if they weren't sure whether he was serious or not.

"What?"

Jaime laughed a little. "Yeah, we're friends. We've talked every day since we came here. I think that means we're friends."

"Unbelievable. You're so annoying to be with and yet you're the one who gets friends", Diego said and shook his head.

"Well, I'm the only one trying", he replied and fell down on his back on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Livvy snorted but didn't say anything. She was the one who practically forced him to be nice.

Livvy changed the subject to what she wanted to talk about. And being the non-discreet she was she said exactly what she wanted. "You and Cristina, Diego? Have you even tried to get her to like you?"

Jaime sat up immediately and Diego stared at her. "What?"

She was well aware of that he'd heard her. "So?"

Diego sighed. "I have tried. We were friends since we were five. It all changed when our parents decided they wanted us married. Three months after they'd told us Cristina practically vanished from the face of the earth. Then we found out she went here." Once again he sighed and sat down next to his brother in the bed. "She didn't even give me a chance."

"Do you even like her?" Livvy asked.

Jaime glanced at his brother and smiled a little. When Livvy saw him with his brother she could see he wasn't the bad boy he tried to be. He was just somebody who'd support his brother to the end of the world.

"I like her, I really do. He doesn't like me though. She knows I like her and thinks I am the one who made our parents decide this."

"Tell her that, Diego", she said. "Even if she doesn't feel the same way it's worth it. You might not end up together but hopefully you won't end up hating each other's guts."

Jaime glared at her. "How was that uplifting?"

"Who said I was trying to be?" She left and was just about to close the door when Jaime stopped her and slinked past the door. He closed the door behind him, leaving Diego alone.

He grasped her wrist and looked at her. Livvy herself looked down on her wrist before she looked up at with a questioning look.

"What?" she said.

He ran his fingers through his hair and bit his lip. As if it hurt him to say what he was about to say.

"Thank you", he said finally. "Thank you for always helping me _and_ my brother."

"Can't help you're always so hopeless", she said.

He let out a frustrated laugh before he grabbed her other wrist. She was beginning to really wonder what was going on. "What are – ", she said but was cut off when he leaned in and kissed her. Before she got the chance to kiss him back he broke of the kiss. He was leaning his forehead against hers only for second to once again say "Thank you."

He went back into Diego's room. Left was she standing there thinking over what had just happened.

"What the –?"

**The part where Cristina and Emma explained Cristina's relationship with Diego was a snippet from Cassandra Clare's tumblr.**


	37. Chapter 37

The day after the representatives of the Clave's arrival the funeral of the dead shadowhunters took place. Emma had waited for them to see how serious the matter was. They left the funeral as if they hadn't even seen the bodies.

"I can't believe them!" Emma growled and threw her door open. Cristina and Jules followed right behind her. "They didn't even look at them."

"But we'll talk to them. They'll realize we need to find whoever did this", Jules tried to comfort her.

"But what if it will be too late? What if one us are dead by then?"

Both of them got something sad in their expression then.

"We'll talk to them", Jules repeated.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that", Emma snorted and turned her back to them. She leaned against the windowsill looking out through the window facing the city. Cristina patted her back.

"Don't be like that, Ems. If they don't find whoever it is we will."

She spun around so fast Cristina had to step back not to be hit by her. "About that, who's guarding the girl?"

Last time she'd seen the girl who'd come to the Institute was the night before when it was her turn to guard her.

"Diana is", Jules answered. "That's why she wasn't at the funeral."

"I was wondering why she wasn't. Anyway, we really do need to talk to the girl. If Dylan sent her and thought she could help her we should give it a shot."

Jules went closer to them and stood in front of Emma.

"Why are you trusting Dylan so much?" Jules muttered and crossed his arms. The white fabric of the jacket strained by the elbows as he did so. Emma thought about how he had grown so fast the last couple of years and felt sorry for Mark who had missed both him and his other siblings grow up.

She shook her head to focus and stepped closer to Jules. "I'm trusting him because I know he's trying to help us. I know him."

"You don't even know what he is. None of us do."

"That doesn't matter. Right now he's somebody who's helped us by leading this girl to us. Hopefully she in her turn can help us."

"She could be anybody! Dylan wasn't even who you thought he was. How can you be so sure you know who he is now?"

"I know Dylan, okay? With or without supernatural powers", Emma said and stepped so close to him their noses were nearly touching.

Cristina stepped in between them. "Okay, that's enough tension. Jules, you've gotta trust Emma. She likes you, don't be the jealous guy."

"_The jealous guy_?" he questioned but she ignored him.

"And Emma, we'll help you but you've gotta understand it's hard for all of us to know who to trust."

"I understand, but this girl is our best chance at the moment."

"She is", Cristina agreed. "We'll go to her. Jules you coming with us?"

He was still dumbfounded by Cristina's comment about him but nodded his head slowly.

They walked out of the door with him following behind them while muttering. Something about not being jealous.

As they reached the room which had been assigned to the girl Emma was confused to why Diana wasn't there. When she asked Cristina she only opened the door and went inside.

"Diana is the only one who's been talking to the girl", she explained. Emma and Jules followed her inside and saw Diana and the girl sitting in two armchairs. "She never stays outside."

Even though they had their backs turned to them Diana heard them as they entered and stood up.

"Is it time to change already?" she asked and looked at clock hanging on the wall.

"No, but we want to start asking questions", Cristina answered. She walked over to the girl. The girl was still sitting in the big armchair.

Cristina sat down in a chair in front of her. "Hello, I'm Cristina."

"I know", the girl muttered. "You've already told me that."

Emma was about to snap at her for being rude but Jules held her back. Slowly he spelled out _calm down_ on her wrist.

"May I know your name?"

The girl was about their age but they all treated her as if she was younger. Her torn down look made her seem so much more vulnerable.

"I don't tell strangers my name."

"But you've talked to Diana for the past few days. Can you tell her your name?"

The question was returned with a look that looked like she couldn't believe her. "Not even we are not friends. Only my family know who I am."

Emma went over to them with Jules right behind her. "Okay, leave it. We don't need to know your name. All we need to know is why we need you." She put her hands on either sides of the girl's chair and looked down at her. "Dylan obviously thought we'd need you. Why?"

"Emma…" Jules warned.

"Why?" she repeated and ignored Jules. The girl didn't back down. The threat in Emma only made her seem stronger and angrier.

"Because I've had more experience with what you have to deal with than any you have had."

"Then tell us what we need to do."

The girl pushed Emma away and stood up. She no longer looked like a little girl. With the dark clothes she had been given she looked like a shadowhunter staring at a demon.

"There's nothing you can do. You'd need to kill the person who's making the runes and you'd never be able to."

"At least tell us who's behind all this", Emma insisted. She was a bit sacred of the transition of the girl but she would not allow herself to be weak in front of her.

"I suspect you already know the name since _you_", she said and pointed at Jules, "visited one of the novices not so long ago."

"Aleyn", Emma heard him whisper.

"That's right and Aleyn is nobody you want to meet."

"Do you know him?" Jules asked.

"Know him?" she laughed. "We grew up together."

"But isn't he like old?" Cristina asked.

"Darling", the girl said and walked over to her. With her index finger she tilted her head up to make Cristina look at her. "How old do you think I am?"

"You tell me." she countered.

"Believe me I'm older than I look, but it's rude to ask about a lady's age."

"Back to the subject", Diana interrupted for the first time and the girl stepped away from Cristina. "Can you help us?"

"I can, but may I?" With a withering glare from Emma she turned serious. "I can help you. You need to talk to the fairies first though. There's somebody in the Wild Hunt who needs to help you too. Without him there's nothing I can do."

"But not even the Seelie queen can get out faeries from the Wild Hunt. Only Gwyn the leader of them decides who leaves."

"But it's not entirely impossible is it?" she said and crossed her arms. She meant Mark, but Emma couldn't figure out how she'd know. They had kept him a secret from her on purpose. Nobody except for the household of the Institute could know he was back. For his safety.

"How'd you know?" Jules asked and stepped forward. He'd kept his place behind Emma but as soon as his brother was mentioned he was the one to speak.

"This Institute may be big, but not even walls can keep all secrets."

"That's not even an answer!" Emma shouted.

"Leave it, Emma", Cristina interrupted. "All we need to know is if there is anything you can do for us, with or without the person from the Wild Hunt."

"For now? No. Not as long as he's still there." With that she sat back down in her armchair and crossed her arms. The hair which had almost been gray when they saw her the first time had got back its original blonde color. It fell down in front of her eyes but for the sake of dramatic effect she didn't break her stubborn expression to push back the strands.

"At least tell us who he is. Then maybe we can do something about it", Clary said.

The girl instantly rewarded her with a smile. Times like that made them wonder if she actually was as old as she said she was. With her childish grin and stubbornness she reminded them of the younger Blackthorn children.

"Kieran. I need Kieran."

Emma was confused to why they would need a faerie's help when they were helping them too, but didn't argue.

"We'll do what we can", she sighed and left the room.

When she stepped out in the hallway somebody ran into her and made them both fall.

"Oh, I'm sorry", Clary excused herself and helped her up. Jace was behind her and rolled his eyes.

"You're clumsy, Clary", he said but smiled. She stuck out her tongue at him and turned back to Emma. Cristina had closed the door behind Jules and her and stood beside Emma.

"You must be Cristina", she said and waved at her. "I didn't see you when we arrived."

"No, I was away." She looked hesitantly at Emma and Jules. She had been with the girl when they'd arrived but wasn't sure if she could tell them. They had agreed that they'd keep her a secret.

"Well, it's good to see you now", she said. "Hey, you guys mind if we use the kitchen?"

"No, are you cooking something?" Jules asked.

Jace grimaced. "I hope not. Izzy is there right now. I think we'll just bake something."

"We'll just go change and then we can join you", Emma said as she looked down at her white dress. They hadn't changed after the funeral.

"See you then", Clary said and continued down the hallway with Jace following her.

Emma watched them until they turned a corner. She had missed them the last couple of months. Especially during everything that had happened with the dead shadowhunters, Jules going to London and meeting Dylan. Clary had always been somebody she could lean on when Jules wasn't there.

"Are we gonna tell them about the girl?" Cristina asked. "I mean, it's not like it could do any harm."

"You're right, but we don't know the girl. She can be trying to kill us for all we know. If they knew about her they might want to meet her and _boom_ she kills them."

Jules chuckled. "You don't like her because she argues with you."

She glared at him and he immediately put on a straight face but she could see he was trying not to laugh. Instead of getting angry she smiled at him and gave him a side hug.

"You argue with me and I don't hate you."

"Thank you very much for that", he said and kissed the tip of her nose. He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, "I don't hate you either."

"Thank you for that", she laughed.

"Guys", Cristina interrupted, "I'm here too."

"Don't worry, Cristina. We don't hate you either", Emma said and grinned at her.

"Thank you, but back to reality, will we go change or what?"

When Cristina went inside her room on their way back Jules grasped Emma's hand and didn't let go until they came to their rooms. Obviously Cristina already knew they were together, but they could see she felt awkward when they kissed or hugged each other. As they came to their rooms they stopped, but didn't go inside. They stood there opposite each other and smiled. Emma was a little worried somebody would come and see them, but as usual Jules didn't give that a thought.

"Jules, we can't stand here", she whined.

"Don't worry so much, Ems. You heard Clary, the others are in the kitchen."

"Some of them, yeah, not all of them."

He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss and then looked her in the eyes. "Who cares about them? What could they possibly do?" He stopped and realization dawned in his eyes as he took a step back. "Oh, right."

"They could separate us. They wanted to send me away five years ago and can still do that. They could send away both of us and you'd never see your family again."

As she mentioned his family he winced. Nothing affected him as much as his family.

"I get it. All I say is that it's not fair", he said and took a step closer again. "Just promise me that when all of this is over and the others go back again we will be as we are now. They won't affect us. They won't make us break up. Okay?"

She stood on the tip of her toes as she gave him a kiss. "I promise", she whispered against his lips.

After a quick shower she changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. When she stepped out of her room she bumped into Jules. His hair was wet from a shower and the water dripping from the tips of his strands fell onto her forehead.

"Hello again", she laughed.

He was about to kiss her when they heard somebody cough. Immediately they stepped back from each other only to be relieved when they saw who'd caught them. Cristina was walking toward them. "Hello, lovebirds, nice to see all up in each other, but really? Here?"

"Sorry", Emma groaned.

"Don't say sorry to me. I'm not the one whose life they'll _ruin_ if they find out."

"Okay, okay. We get it, Cristina", Jules said and put an arm around Emma instead of kissing her again.

Emma sighed and snapped her fingers. "Enough with this seriousness thing. Now, let's go to the kitchen."

"You're here!" Isabelle exclaimed as the three of them stepped into the kitchen. She ran over to them and hugged them all at once. "We're baking a cake."

"What kind?" Emma asked and looked confused by all ingredients lying on the kitchen counter.

"We haven't decided yet."

"We chose vanilla", Jace said. He was sitting next to Clary by the table. Clary frowned at him.

"No, we didn't. I want strawberries."

Emma looked at the ingredients again. "And banana, chocolate, blueberry, almond, and passion fruit?"

Isabelle sighed. "As I said, we haven't decided yet."

Simon sneaked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Isabelle smiled until he leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "But we're still going with blueberry, right?"

She snorted and pushed him away. "Never, I want passion fruit."

"I'm going with Izzy on this one", Magnus cut in. He and Alec came into the kitchen.

"Technically you agree with all of them because you want all ingredients", Alec muttered.

Magnus pointed at him and pouted. "That's not true. I've never liked the mix of almonds and blueberry."

"Are we gonna bake _anything_?" Emma asked.

"Are you baking?" they heard a voice ask from the doorway. They turned around to see Dru and Tavvy. Behind them was Diego. His dark hair was messy and he looked tired.

"Hello, Diego?" Cristina said. She said it as a question wanting him to tell them why he was there.

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked quickly down at the floor before he looked up at her again. "The kids saw me sleeping in the living room and woke me up. Then they practically dragged me here." When meeting Cristina's disapproving look he added, "Sorry."

Cristina shrugged and put on a smile. "You wanna bake a cake?"

Diego waited a while before answering, uncertain whether she would change her mind or not. "Sure."

"What about us?" Tavvy exclaimed.

"Do you like vanilla?" Jace asked.

Clary glared at him but Tavvy grinned. "Absolutely!"

He was answered by a big smile from Jace. "Welcome to the baking team then."

They ended up baking two cakes, one with vanilla and chocolate and another with different fruits and berries. The baking hadn't only consisted of baking though. Sometimes it had been flour fights and jokes other times had been serious talk.

Clary and Emma had stood next to each other icing one of the cakes.

"Any progress with the murders?" Clary whispered nervously watching Dru and Tavvy as she didn't want them to hear. Dru was soon going to be more involved with investigations, but Tavvy was still too young.

Emma was also a bit hesitant before she answered, "Depends on what you mean by progress, but we have somebody who says she can help us."

"Does she know who's doing this?"

"I don't know and she's barely telling us anything. To make any progress she told us we needed to bring somebody. She also told us that that somebody is in the Wild Hunt", Emma said. They were done with the icing and started topping the cake with strawberries.

"But that's impossible. You couldn't even get Mark out of there and he's half shadowhunter."

Emma froze for a moment before she nodded and mumbled, "Yes, exactly."

"So what's your plan?"

"I haven't told you this yet but these runes have been used before like long ago and the Clave was responsible for them then. My plan now is for them to help us with something they are the reason for."

Clary's eyes widened. "I did not know that. But that explains why they don't want you to investigate it. They don't want people to know what they have done."

"Exactly. That's why you are here. We need as many people as possible on our side. Then they can't hide it." Emma put the last strawberry I her mouth and jumped up to sit on the kitchen counter. Clary jumped up to sit next to her. There they sat dangling with their legs. Some of the others were working on the other cake. Emma's eyes traveled over the group. Tavvy was struggling to see what the others were doing but Dru quickly found him a chair to stand on. Alec stood with Isabelle who was making lemonade. Emma frowned when she saw Cristina and Diego sitting beside each other talking. It also made her relax a bit because Cristina was smiling and didn't seem as bothered as Emma had thought she would have been. Jace and Jules were talking in the background when Emma locked eyes with Jules. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"How are you guys doing?" Clary asked.

"Huh?" Emma said and looked at her.

"You and Jules, how are you?"

"We're good I guess. He worries about his family, I try to help him out, you know, the normal", Emma said and sighed.

"If there's anything I or any of the others can do, tell us", Clary said sincerely.

"You're helping us now. Both with the Clave and this. It's been a while since we've really done something together." She looked into her eyes. "Thank you."

"Clary smiled and patted her shoulder. "You're welcome. If this is what you need us to do I'd gladly do it every day." She looked at Simon and Magnus decorating their cake. It was a mix of chocolate and sprinkles. Both of them had the ingredients all over them. Including their hair. "Maybe something less messy though."

Cristina and Diego had been helping Clary and Emma with their cake earlier but had later sat down on a bench by the wall. Cristina was smiling. In fact she had been smiling the whole time they had been baking. For one hour she had been allowed to think about something else than runes and murderers.

Diego tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She jumped a little as if she had forgotten he was sitting there.

"Sorry", he muttered.

She didn't answer.

"Sorry."

"You already said that and it wasn't like you hit me. You touched my hair. I'm not mad", she said and rolled her eyes.

"I meant I am sorry for what I have done by coming here. Intruding in your life. It's clear you don't agree with our parents and I shouldn't have tried to make you think like them. Sorry."

She looked down on her hands resting on her lap. "But you agree with them. Why?"

"It's just…It's weird how it really wasn't that long ago that we spent every day together. You, me and Jaime. Ever since we were little. I remember how when we were really young, six or seven or something, and we said we were getting married. Jaime was the priest and you had that beautiful dress."

"It was awful!" Cristina laughed. "It had these massive bows and-"

She was interrupted by Diego who stopped her by putting a finger on her lips.

"It was beautiful. Now let me continue. You forgot about that pretend wedding the day after but I kept thinking that maybe one day I would see you walking down that isle with a dress like the one that day. _With_ massive bows and everything", Diego added and tried to laugh. It came out as a sigh.

Cristina stared at him, but tried to not be affected by his words. "What you're saying is that you actually…"

"That I like you? Yeah." He chuckled and looked away. "Sorry."

"Diego, I'm sorry but I see you as a friend…"

"I know", he muttered.

"Let me finish", she sighed, but smiled. "You and Jaime both have been great friends to me my whole life. You can't believe how sad it made me when our parents told us we should get married. Within seconds my dream of growing old together, with _separate_ families, was crushed. My plan was never to move here, away from you."

She rested her head on his shoulder. He didn't move but stiffened a bit. They were quiet for a while before Diego talked again.

"You had a plan?"

She chuckled and said, "Yeah. Wanna hear?"

She looked up at him and waited until he nodded. "I was going to live in the Institute. You and Jaime would choose between living there with me or living in those houses over the street. You know those houses with porches and everything?" She waited until he nodded again before she continued. "That's where you would live if you wanted more privacy for your family. Maybe even I would have one of the houses. I would only need to cross the street to be back at the Institute. You and Jaime would have wives and kids. Jaime would have a big dog too. You were gonna have two cats. Your wife would be lovely. Tall with dark hair. Good sense of humor too. A badass fighter. Almost like me."

She stopped herself when Diego laughed. "What?"

"You _are_ describing yourself now, Tina. You sure you don't like me that way?"

"No, I'm not! There are a lot of girls like that. It's a very vague description", she explained herself and sat up straight.

"I'm kidding with you", he laughed. "I know you don't feel that way."

"Good", she said and rested her head on his shoulder again.

"So we're good?"

"Are you still on our parents' side?" she questioned and glanced at him. She saw he was hesitating, but she hoped it only was because he had always been the boy who was on his parents' side. She could see it pained him to go against them.

"No. Just friends", he answered and smiled when he looked down at her.

"Then we're good."

"Done!" Tavvy shouted when he put on one final strawberry on the cake Emma, Clary, Cristina and Diego had been working on. When they said they were done with it he was shocked.

"It has like no strawberries!" he had exclaimed. He had then covered every part with it with strawberries.

"Are we gonna taste them now?" Jace asked and went to stand close to the one with chocolate and vanilla.

"Wait!" Cristina said and shot up from her seat next to Diego. She had picked up her phone and snapped a picture before she said, "You may now proceed." She then sat down again and showed the picture to Diego.

Magnus was the first one to cut the vanilla and chocolate and gave it to Jace who had stared at it ever since they'd started. When he was handed the plate he immediately got a big grin all over his face.

When Emma got her plate she went to sit next to Jules who was already eating.

He smiled at her and put an arm around her shoulder while eating with his other hand.

"You like the cake?" he asked. She only nodded and smiled. In fact what she had liked more than the cake – and the cake was pretty good – was the time all of them had spent together. She could also see it had helped Diego and Cristina who could finally talk and laugh with each other.

Of course it would all be destroyed within seconds.

Arthur stepped into the kitchen and frowned at the scene but shook his head and headed over to Jules and Emma.

"You need to be at the gate", he said.

Emma sighed as soon as the words had left his mouth and stood up. Jules remained sitting. Emma tugged at his sleeve to get him to follow but he refused.

"Why do you need us?"

"Jules, don't do this now. I've been in a meeting with the Clave ever since the funeral. All want from you is to follow me to the gate. A faerie is waiting for us there", he added.

Jules and Emma looked at each other.

"What do they want?"

"They have found two dead faeries and now they want us more than ever to find the murderer or they will –" he leaned in closer to whisper, "take back Mark."

The color dropped from Jules' face. "Mark?" he whispered and shot up from his chair. "We're coming."

The faerie waiting for them was the same as the one they had met at the café. This time she had her blonde hair up in a ponytail but it still reached the middle of her back. Diana was waiting there with her.

"Hello again", the faerie said with a smile. Jules and Emma nodded at her as a greeting. They were suspicious to what she wanted to talk to them about.

Arthur was the one to start talking instead. "Please, repeat what you said to me before."

"Two more faeries are dead. To get Mark back you would help us. From what I have seen you haven't come any closer than last time we saw you."

"We _are_ closer", Emma insisted and stepped forward. They were only a few feet apart. "In a matter of fact it's good that you came now. We were gonna try to contact you." The faerie furrowed her eyebrows. "To find out who the murderer is we need one of you."

"One of us?" she said and took a step back.

"We need Kieran from the Wild Hunt."

The faerie looked confused before she laughed out loud. "The Wild Hunt you say?" She stopped to look into Emma's eyes, to get her full attention. "The Wild Hunt and The Seelie Court are two different things. We can't do that. Find another way."

"But you got Mark out of there", Emma said.

She didn't answer right away but crossed her arms and looked like she was working out her answer. "Gwyn ap Nudd allowed us to free one and that's it."

"Please, at least try", Emma pleaded. This had been with her for five years. For five years she had thought about her parents' deaths and she could not risk this opportunity of finding out what happened to slip through her fingers.

"You said his name was Kieran?" Emma nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

Without another word she left and Arthur turned to them.

"Kieran?" he questioned.

"We talked to the girl and she wanted Kieran. That's all she said", Jules explained.

Arthur sighed put his hands in his pockets. "I hope we work this out. But I should inform you that the Clave are still negative about this. We need to be as discreet as possible."

They both nodded.

"So what now?" Emma asked.

"Well, I am gonna finish my cake if you excuse", Jules answered and ran back to the door.

"I can't believe I'm trying to work with kids", Arthur muttered under his breath.

"Hey, we're almost eighteen!" Emma said offended.

"That's what's worrying me", he kept muttering and followed Jules.

"Hey!"

Diana walked beside Emma. "Who's with the girl?" Emma asked.

"I told her to show her we trusted her we were going to leave her alone. Only for an hour or so", she added when she saw how worried Emma was.

Emma finally nodded. "Only an hour a day. That's okay. But make sure she doesn't meet Mark. We can't afford to lose him so soon after he's come back."

"Don't worry, Emma", Diana said. "I've been talking to her and she's a nice girl. I'm sure you would like her. You're very alike."

"That's the problem."

Hey! I'm gonna change the cover soon.

Just so know...

Hope you liked the chapter!


	38. Chapter 38

The Clave along with Arthur, Diana and the Inquisitor, Robert Lightwood, had been in meetings for three days. Emma, Jules, Cristina and the shadowhunters from New York had joined them a few times. Emma had soon felt forgotten as those from the Clave refused to listen to arguments coming from a 17-year-old. Jules had smiled at her and drawn encouraging words on her arm.

She had been too angry to return his smiles. Yet, she was afraid she would have started yelling at them if he had not been there.

When Isabelle had been on her first meeting she breathed out as soon as she went out of the room and said she saw what they meant when they said the Clave was unreasonable. They kept saying it probably was something the Fae were doing and they would look into it. No reason for the Los Angeles Institute to worry about that.

"But they killed my parents five years ago! This is something you should have looked into a while ago", Emma exclaimed before Jules or Cristina could stop her. Diana had given her a disapproving look and from the other side of the table she got a glare from the Clave representative Elizabeth Blackrose. Blackrose was one of them who had been with the Clave when they were going to part Jules and Emma five years ago. She had dark hair tied up in a neat bun and a just as dark suit. Her hair was probably dyed since Emma knew she was well above sixty.

"In the files it says they were murdered by Morgenstern's army", Blackrose said. As soon as she did Clary's head dipped down and Jace leaned closer to her to whisper in her ear and give her a hug. "Therefore I see no reason to look back at that."

Emma knew those files she was talking about were long gone. For five years they had been hidden under her bed. Blackrose must have read them before Emma took them.

Emma stood up again and was about to talk back to Blackrose when Jules gently tugged on her sleeve and with one look made her sit down again. She knew as well as him that making the Clave angry would never end up in their favor.

To Emma's surprise Alec rose to his feet. "The Clave should start working against their nature and start listening to the shadowhunters working for them." Blackrose was about to cut in when she got a look from Diana that made her sit back in her chair again. "You've done this mistake before don't do it again. We all know you have the answers that we need. Why not tell us? Who did you hire to make these runes?"

Even though Magnus wasn't at the meeting Emma could imagine the look of pride he would have given Alec if he had seen and heard him when he said that.

Blackrose and the others glared at him and that was the first time Blackrose was angry enough to not answer. A man from the Clave answered though. He was young, twenty-five at most and had most possible not been in politics when Emma's parents had been murdered and had also not read the documents.

"The Clave does not see this as a problem for you. Not for the Los Angeles Institute and especially not for the New York Institute. This concerns the Clave and us only."

"But will you do anything?" Emma asked.

"We'll look into it", Blackrose answered. "You have to understand that this is something the Seelie Court is doing and a few shadowhunters can't stop that. It needs to be solved with politics."

The others from the Clave nodded.

"Mrs Blackrose", Emma said and breathed in, "we know this has something to do with Aleyn Wight." Jules tensed beside her but didn't say anything. "We have witnesses and proof. As Alec said we know you were behind this when it started. Please be with us when we end it."

"We may have been a small part of it all but we never started anything", Blackrose insisted. "Whatever witness and proof you have need to be investigated by us. I suspect you have misunderstood."

A knock on the door interrupted the meeting. Emma was annoyed when she opened it. She had just been about to answer Blackrose.

She was met by two faces she did not recognize, one man, one woman. One thing was certain though, both of them were warlocks. The man was lanky and his long dark hair covered his ears but they were visible enough for Emma to see they were wolf ears. He was hiding behind the woman who unlike him seemed confident and stood straight. She had a beautiful face with sharp cheekbones and full lips. The hair was what stood out the most. It was curly, long and green.

"Violeta?" Emma heard Jules say behind her.

The corners of the woman's lips curled up for a moment but a second later they were back into a straight line.

"Hello, Julian", she said and stepped into the room. Her accent witnessed of her Spanish origin.

Emma raised a questioning eyebrow and looked at Jules. Jules had seen the question in her eyes.

"This is Violeta Blanca. I met her when I was in London."

The man followed right behind the woman. When he saw there were people from the Clave there he immediately tensed and turned around to leave. Violeta's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Stay, Edmund."

The warlock with the wolf ears stopped and turned to Violeta again. He looked at the members of the Clave and then glared at her.

"They've already seen you, Eddie. And you've done nothing wrong", Violeta said and then turned to the Clave and added, "Not more wrong than them at least."

Blackrose scoffed at that but kept quiet.

Edmund stepped closer to Violeta and whispered something that Emma couldn't hear.

Violeta then rolled her eyes and waved him away. "Alright, but stay outside the door."

Without another word he left the room. Violeta sighed and turned to Jules again.

"Nice to see you again."

Jules still looked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Edmund and I thought it would be a good time to help you take down Aleyn once and for all." She glanced at the door Edmund had closed a moment ago. "Or more like I thought."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Aleyn? No", she said and shook her head.

As if they suddenly remembered they had been interrupting a meeting they turned to rest of them.

"We should move on with the meeting", Blackrose said and looked at Violeta. "So if you may–"

"She can join us", Emma cut in.

"This is a meeting for shadowhunters only."

"I thought we agreed to not put those borders between us five years ago", Emma said. "I also think she can help us."

Blackrose kept quiet and looked away.

Jules and Emma sat down next to each other again with Violeta on the other side of Jules. He wrote the words thank you on Emma's wrist. She gave him a nod and they continued on with the meeting.

When the meeting was over the Clave still insisted on handling the murders themselves but Emma felt as if they were coming closer to an agreement she could be happy with. Violeta hadn't talked that much at the meeting but Emma could see she was listening closely. Hopefully she'd help them convince The Clave.

Edmund hadn't stayed by the door when he had left. Once again Violeta sighed because of him and excused herself to go looking for him. When she was on her way out of the room she stopped and turned around to Jules and Emma with a grin on her face.

"By the way, Jules, there's somebody waiting for you here."

He raised an eyebrow. "Where and who?"

"Somewhere in the house. Who it is you'll have to find out yourself", she said and left the room.

Jules shook his head and looked around. "Looks like we're alone."

Violeta had been the last from the meeting to leave.

"I guess so." She was still thinking about the things said during the meeting. Calculating their chances. "How do you think it went?"

"The meeting? Horrible", he said with a frown but then smiled, "but a little less horrible than before. I think it's good Violeta and Edmund came. They're the warlocks who helped me in London."

"I figured", Emma mumbled. "We should probably find whoever is waiting for you."

She left the room with Jules following behind her.

The Institute was full of people by then. The shadowhunters and Magnus from New York, those from the Clave, the brothers from Mexico, and Edmund and Violeta. The girl and Mark were still hidden in their rooms. Ty was mostly with Mark and with all the people in the building he was seen even less in the halls.

Still the place was full and Emma and Jules almost missed the extra two people in the middle of the group from New York. Jules saw them before Emma and when he did his eyes went wide and a smile spread on his face. Before Emma saw who he had seen he was already running towards them. She saw him hug a boy in their age with a child in his arms. The boy had dark messy hair and he looked tired. Still he smiled a little at the sight of Jules. He was holding the child as if he was used to it. It reminded her of Jules who had carried his younger siblings when they were younger. The child wasn't much older than a year. Her light curls went to her shoulders and bounced when she moved. Emma went over to them.

Jules turned to her and his smile grew even wider.

"Emma, this is Isaac and Rebecca. Isaac and Rebecca", pride filled his eyes when he looked at her as they always did when he said the following words, "this is Emma, my _parabatai_."

"Hi, we met Jules in London", Isaac said.

"Is there anybody you didn't meet in London?" Emma asked Jules and quirked an eyebrow.

Jules shrugged. "What can I say? I'm quite a social person."

She laughed and nudged him.

Isaac shifted on his feet and seemed uncomfortable with all the people surrounding him. Rebecca seemed amused by the small crowd. She giggled to catch more people's attention. Soon were Clary, Isabelle, Simon and Magnus tickling and talking to her. Isaac tried to leave but was instead followed by them and Rebecca made an annoyed sound whenever he moved away. Jules looked at them from a distance with relaxed crossed arms and a smirk on his face. When Isaac looked at him with pleading eyes and saw Jules' amused expression he frowned.

Emma stood next to Jules leaning on the wall. "Anybody else from you met in London who I should know about?" That question had been bugging her since she'd met Isaac half an hour ago. He had mentioned Violeta and Edmund but not Isaac and Rebecca. And they seemed kind of close.

"I met a few. The London Institute is kinda full." He looked like he tried recalling his time there. "But I think I only really talked to Isaac, Violeta, Edmund, and Rebecca, of course. And the Head of the Institute and his family."

She remembered Leopold Nightwhite and his family. Since Arthur was from London he knew the family and invited them from time to time. They had two daughters about hers and Jules' age.

"Were his daughters as nice as I remember them?" In her memory she had never gotten along with them. They didn't take the training seriously. It was not often that Jules trained either but at least he didn't joke about it the way they did.

"They were..." He tried to find the right word. "Intense."

"Intense?"

He chuckled. "They went to my room and just started talking and they talked so fast."

She released a breath she didn't know she was holding and realized she had been jealous. They hadn't been together at the time but it had been after their first kiss. The reason to why he traveled to London was partly because he was running away. From her. From when he'd kissed her.

Jules snickered when he heard her breathe out. "Are you jealous, Em?"

She narrowed her eyes. "No." She shifted on her feet. "Unless there's something to be jealous about.

He gave her a one sided hug and glanced down at her. "No, there isn't." She smiled and looked back at the group in the middle of the room.

"You recognize yourself in him, don't you?" Emma asked.

It took a moment before Jules understood what she meant. "In Isaac? Why?"

"An orphan taking care of a child. Just like you have for five years."

He was quiet for a moment and Emma thought he hadn't heard her at first when he spoke again. "A bit, yes. But he is much better at it. He's the only one who can make Rebecca eat you know."

Emma looked at her _parabatai_ with sad eyes. "Jules, you really don't know what you've meant for your family." It wasn't a question. Jules looked at her with raised eyebrows. "You have held this family together as long as I've remembered. Before The Dark War. Nobody else could have done it because your family means more to you than anything and that's what has saved them. That you _care_. That's all they need but they don't need any random person to care. They need _you_. They need you to care and that's what you do."

He stood straighter and looked away. Emma didn't know what was going through his mind and wanted to ask but she knew she wouldn't get a straight answer. Jules never said what he really was thinking.

When she had been looking at him for a long time she could see the corners of his mouth were twitching and then finally formed a smile.

He was still looking away from her when he said, "Thank you."

She didn't say anything else but smiled.

At that moment she saw Livvy and Jaime pass the room at opposite side and she narrowed her eyes. She still thought about him as the boy he'd heard about. A boy who got into fights and who kept pushing Cristina and Diego to get married. Ever since he came to the Institute she had started revaluate her thoughts about him. He hadn't started any fights except for the one where he and Emma fought but then they both started it. Since then He'd always been close to Livvy and almost never left her side. He had been a good friend to her while Ty her twin brother who she usually was with was more with Mark than with her.

That was when she saw they weren't really talking happily to each other. They had stopped by the wall and with frantic gestures with their hands they hissed at one another. Emma started to walk over to them. Jules had seen his sister too and followed Emma, but before they got to the other side Jaime had grabbed her wrist and made her come with him out through the door. Emma and Jules hadn't seen which way they had taken when they went out. They both stood by the doorway shifting nervously on their feet.

"Should we go after them?" Jules asked.

Emma looked back at what she had seen of the conversation between Jaime and Livvy. They had both seemed upset, but neither of them had felt threatened.

"I think it's something they'll need to sort out themselves." When she saw the anxious expression Jules still had she added, "Don't worry. If anything happens to her you know I will beat him up."

His shoulders relaxed even if he was still shifting nervously, but it was good for now Emma decided.

"You're always helping me take care of the family. Thank you", he murmured and looked down at his feet.

She glanced up at him and smiled. "We make a good team, Jules."

He finally met her gaze and smiled back. "That's why we're _parabatai_."


	39. Chapter 39

"Livvy, please, talk to me", Jaime pleaded. She turned away as much as she could when Jaime held her arms. He sighed and let go one of her arms to run his hand through his hair. "Why aren't you talking to me?"

She let herself glare at him for a second before dropping her gaze.

Jaime had gone looking for her when the others had been at the meeting. Diego had wanted to be alone and Jaime didn't exactly mind being with Livvy instead. He had found her in the training room wearing gym clothes and throwing knives. She had heard him the moment he opened the door. Her eyes had widened in shock and she had immediately run past him out the door before he could react. He had followed her down the stairs and out to the garden.

He brought up his free hand to softly touch her cheek. "Is it because of the kiss?" He winced at the last word because he knew he was right even though he didn't want to be. For once.

She looked up at him again but this time she didn't look away after a few seconds. But she still didn't talk. The answer was all in her eyes and it made him let go of her arm.

This time it was his turn to look away. "I'm sorry, Livia." If he'd looked at her he would have seen her cringed at the mention of her whole name. Only those who didn't know her personally called her that. "I won't kiss you again." He waited for a minute before he spoke again. "Are we still friends?"

She looked at him as if he was problem she need to solve. "Friends don't kiss each other", she murmured.

"But I won't", he said without hesitation happy to hear her talk to him again. He then realized the meaning of his answer and looked down at his feet. "I won't kiss you again." He said the words quietly, almost to himself. Only to make sure he could stand by it himself.

"We were friends, you know."

He was still looking away when he asked, "But we're still friends, right?"

"Friends don't kiss each other."

Jaime sighed and looked up. "You already said–"

While he had looked away from her he hadn't noticed how close she'd got. She looked into his eyes and he couldn't look away even if he wanted to. He didn't want to. He wanted to look at her then. The next day and the day after. He wanted to look at the little Cupid's bow she had. The dark strands of hair curling at her temples that moved in the wind. The long eyelashes. The blue-green eyes that met his brown ones. That was while he studied her eyes so closely that he noticed how they traveled down to his mouth and then quickly up again. As if she didn't want him to notice. He noticed.

"Are we friends?" he whispered.

She opened her mouth but closed it again and shook her head. She then leaned a little closer. He grasped her arms and leaned his forehead against hers.

To not make the same mistake as before he asked, "Can I kiss you?"

She didn't answer that time either. At least not with words because she leaned in even closer and their lips touched. He kissed her back and he felt her hands travel up his arms to later lock behind his neck to drag him closer. When he'd kissed her last time it had been quick and more friendly than romantic. This kiss could never be mistaken for friendly. Because like Livvy had said, friends don't kiss each other and certainly not like they kissed each other. As if they'd waited to kiss each other while standing on two cliffs and then suddenly got a bridge.

Jaime was about to put his hands on her back to bring her even closer when they were interrupted by somebody's footsteps.

They sprang apart. Before they looked to see who had come they looked at each other with smiles on their lips. Livvy was the first to look at their visitor. She furrowed her eyebrows and Jaime looked to see who it was. They were met by a woman a few years older than them. What had made Livvy seem so confused was the fact that her hair was big, and green.

"Hello?" Jaime tried out.

The woman stopped a few steps away. "Hi, I'm Violeta. Have you seen a guy my age?"

"What?" Livvy said in confusion. "Who are you?"

"I'm visiting. I'm a friend of Jules. Anyway, have seen the guy I was talking about?"

"There are a lot of visitors here right now", Jaime explained. "We need more to go on than that."

"He has wolf ears. If that helps."

Jaime raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That could have helped, but no, we haven't seen him."

"Can you help me find him?" They could see she wasn't somebody who was used to asking for help. That's why they didn't said no immediately but instead looked at each other while having a quiet conversation. They wanted to be alone but at the same time they didn't want to say no to somebody who didn't ask for help unless she was desperate.

"We'll help you", Livvy answered for both of them.

The woman's face broke out into a grin. "Thank you, I have been looking for him for so long.

They walked among the flowers in the garden hoping to find her friend.

"Where did you see him last?" Livvy asked Violeta.

"I asked him to wait outside the conference, meeting room or whatever it was", she said and shook her head. "He wasn't there when I went out."

"You were with the others at the meeting?"

"Yes, Edmund who we are looking for is one of the few who can help you", she explained.

Livvy and Jaime looked at each other with excited smiles. Maybe it would all finally turn out okay. If they found Edmund.

Violeta glanced at the two of them and then smiled to herself. "I didn't say it before but sorry for walking in on you."

They both looked shocked with a mix of embarrassment.

"What?" Livvy said. Jaime really wished she hadn't asked that. Jaime suspected what she had seen but he didn't want the conformation. He wanted to keep it to himself. To himself and Livvy. If Jules or Emma found out he would be dead.

"I saw you _kissing_", Violeta clarified.

That was the first time Jaime saw Livvy blush. That made him forget his worries about who found out and he bowed down to give her quick kiss on the cheek.

"You're cute when you're blushing", he whispered in her ear.

She pushed him away but smiled.

"I'm starting to feel like a third wheel or something", Violeta muttered.

"Sorry", Livvy said and walked straighter. In a try to change the subject she asked about her friend, Edmund. "How do you know each other?"

"We grew up together and then our paths have crossed several times. It wasn't until twenty years or so that we decided to stay together. We make a good team." Violeta smiled at the memories.

"So both of you are warlocks?" Jaime asked.

Violeta stared at him as if he was stupid. "I have natural green hair and he has wolf ears. What do you think we are? Aliens?"

"Sorry", he muttered.

Livvy and Violeta talked to each other while Jaime quietly looked after a man with wolf ears.

Something caught his eyes then. Somebody lied beneath the apple tree. Looking like he was resting in the sun. Except that the sun was barely out. Jaime stepped closer to him. The others didn't notice him and kept walking the other way. Jaime didn't stop them. He was only going to see who it was. Maybe it was somebody from the Clave. When he came closer he saw he was about twenty. The man had a lanky body and looked like he was sleeping. He had to be a shadowhunter because runes covered his forearms. But when he focused on the runes he flinched back and his eyes widened. Red clear runes were drawn up until he couldn't see them under the man's shirt.

Without getting closer Jaime knew the man was dead. Because he knew what those runes meant. By looking directly at his head he also knew who it was. Long dark hair fell down to his shoulders but only barely covered his ears.

Ears of a wolf.

Edmund.

"Livvy", Jaime said and stepped away. By looking over his shoulder he saw she was at the other side of the garden talking to the friend of the dead warlock.

"Livvy!" Jaime shouted louder this time.

Her head turned his way. He gestured for her to come. When he saw that Violeta followed her he panicked. She couldn't see her friend like that. Not when she only minutes ago talked about memories of him fond to her.

"Violeta, maybe Edmund is inside after all. Go look for him there", he said. "I just need to talk to Livvy for a minute."

Both Livvy and Violeta looked suspicious.

"I have already looked–", Violeta started when her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Tears filled her eyes and she ran forward. Only a second later did Livvy see what caused the change in the woman's mood.

Violeta crouched down beside Edmund's lifeless body.

"No, Edmund, no", she cried. "Please, don't do this to me."

She tried pushing him, trying to wake him up. Nothing helped because the friend she had been looking for was no longer alive.

Livvy tried dragging her away from the body but she wouldn't move. She was still trying to wake him up.

"Go find Emma or Diana or somebody", Livvy ordered Jaime.

He ran to the Institute and met Emma and Jules first. They were already on their way out when Jaime had literally ran into them. They both tried to steady him when he almost fell back.

"What's happening, Jaime?" Emma asked. He stopped for a moment and tried to explain what or rather _who _he had found in the garden.

Jules looked like he would dissolve at the spot from hopelessness. Emma hugged him in a try to comfort him but she didn't have time to do that for long. She needed to take care of the situation.

"Go find Diana, Arthur, the Clave and Magnus. They are the most important. Don't let Violeta near him either."

"Violeta is already with him", Jaime said.

Emma's eyes filled with sympathy for the warlock. Her parents had died in the same way but she had only seen their dead bodies in photos, never in person. She couldn't imagine what kind of misery she must feel.

"Find the ones I've told you. Jules and I will go to the body."

Jules and Emma found Violeta still clung tight to the body and Livvy was still trying to get her away from it. Violeta shifted between shouting insults at her friend and whispering loving words, begging for him to wake up. Emma started looking at the runes but there wasn't much she hadn't seen before. But it was when she lifted the warlock's arm that realized something.

"He's still here", she mumbled.

Jules who was sitting on the ground next to Violeta frowned at her.

"He didn't turn into ash", she explained. "Neither did the shadowhunters at the beach. My parents did. My parents turned into ash."

Jules stood up and made her follow him to a place farther away from the grieving Violeta.

"What does that mean?" he asked her. "Why did it change?"

"Either that it is somebody different who is doing it this time." The other explanation that she could think of worried her more than it confused her. "It could also mean that whoever killed my parents have another motivation this time. This time it wants to show us what we are up against. It wants us to be scared."

A few minutes later Jaime came with the shadowhunters and Magnus as Emma had asked. Alec had also come with them.

When Emma saw the dead look Blackrose gave Edmund something snapped in her. How could she still not see they were in danger? That this affected them all. She stepped up to Blackrose.

"Do you see this now?" she shouted. "Do you see how _our_ enemy is killing us?"

"It's a warlock", the woman snarled. This made Violeta step away from the body. She went to stand beside Emma.

"How dare you?" she hissed and pointed a finger in her face. "Edmund came here to help _you_ and you won't even acknowledge him."

Blackrose took a step back but Violeta followed her.

"Five years ago we agreed to not let the fact that we are warlocks and you are shadowhunters separate us. Today you dare to stand here and say you want feel sorrow for a dead warlock, killed on _your_ land."

Emma could see that Magnus was as angry with Blackrose as Violeta was but he was forced to be professional and not argue with anybody while he was there to get the Clave to help them. It took all of his willpower to stand back.

"We will take care of it", Blackrose said toneless. Violeta growled but went back to the body. Emma felt the longing for her long gone parents when she saw Violeta lay down beside Edmund and push away strands that had fallen in front of his eyes. She had never had to see her parents' dead bodies, but she had never said goodbye either. She didn't even get to go to their funeral.

Violeta was calmer than before and whispered about memories of adventures and normal days.

Diana stood next to Emma.

"We need to do something, Diana", Emma said. "They have come into the Institute."

"I know, but Arthur and I can't do anything at the moment. Not when the Clave is here."

"Then what do we do?" she asked and felt hopeless.

"I give you my permission", Diana said simply.

"What?" Emma asked and looked up at her tutor.

"Cristina, Jules and you make pretty good team. Maybe you even can figure this one out."

Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise when she understood what Diana was saying.

"But we're only seventeen."

"It's never stopped you before, has it?"

Emma's lips formed a smile in vengeance when she answered, "No."


	40. Chapter 40

No matter how much Jules and Emma tried to find more clues they couldn't find any. It was as if all of them had disappeared as their motivation had flared up. Jules was often with Violeta who was mourning her boyfriend's death. Jules was the only one she had met before she got to Los Angeles and the only one she let get close to her. Nobody else dared even pass her door. Diego had witnessed the danger. He had passed her room to get to his when she decided to step out in the corridor and a sudden rage made her punch him. He still had swollen cheek a week after.

Emma went to see Violeta one day when she knew Jules would be there. She hoped she wouldn't get hit since Violeta knew she was Jules' friend. She was right because when she stepped into the room all she got from the green haired girl was a quick glance before she stared down on her hands again. Violeta sat Indian style in her bed and Jules sat in an armchair close to her. Emma went to stand next to him. Leaning closer to him she whispered, "How is she doing?"

He looked up at her and she saw the bags under his sad eyes. "How would you feel if you lost me?"

His words stung her heart because she knew. During the Dark War she had been so afraid. Afraid that her oldest friend would die. Time after time she kept imagining what it'd feel like. When his father had walked towards him prepared to kill him she thought she'd lost him. Because when she had thought about what would happen in the war she had never imagined he would kill his father. When she saw his eyes afterwards she had actually lost him too. Full of guilt and grief. But he'd made himself go on, for his family. She was happy that he'd done it because it meant she didn't need to feel what Violeta had to feel now.

"We will find Aleyn, Violeta", Emma said in a weak attempt to cheer her up.

Violeta gave her an answer in a just as weak laugh, still looking down. "Aleyn can't be found. Otherwise we, _Edmund and I_, would have found him. For years we tried. See where that got us", she said through gritted teeth. Her hands were clenched into fists. Before Emma or Jules could react she was on her feet and punched a fist into the wall. Splitter flew across the room. They knew she must have used magic because the walls in the Institute were solid and had held together for hundreds of years. Emma jumped away to not get hit by the bits.

"Sorry", Violeta murmured and sat down on the bed again. As if she'd never moved she went back to looking at her hands.

Jules stood up and grasped Emma's hand and led her to the door. "Come on, let's leave her alone", he whispered and closed the door behind them.

A smile crept onto her lips when she recognized the way he went.

"The roof?"

He looked down at her with a big smile. "Haven't been there for a while, have we?"

She took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently as an answer.

His easel and canvases were standing there waiting for them on the left of the door. She helped him carry them out on the roof. The sun would set in an hour or two but it was still light enough for them to see the horizon.

Emma took a deep breath and felt the salt and seagrass smell from the ocean. She spun around when she heard a chuckle from behind her. "What?" she said and glared at Jules.

"Nothing", Jules said with a grin on his lips. As he took a step closer the speed of her heart quickened. When he got close enough she just held his hands. Not wanting anything else at the moment. No hug. No kiss. No, because what she had missed for the last days was _him_. Being able to look at him, touch him. She couldn't believe that was what she had missed for years. How had she had survived back then?

An amused expression formed on his face. "What?" he said.

She raised her eyebrows. "Huh?"

He chuckled and gave her a peck on her nose. "You're looking at me weirdly."

"I just missed you", she breathed.

He leaned down to kiss her this time on her lips. Before he leaned back again he whispered, "Are you going soft on me, Ems?"

She huffed and pushed him away, instantly regretting her move as they were feet apart then. Still, they were talking about her pride. "Never."

They both knew she would never be the one to back down so he had to be the one to step closer again. He took one, two steps and they were back to where they were just a moment ago.

"What about you, Jules?" she questioned and raised an eyebrow. "Are you going arrogant? I remember you as awkward, still here you are trying to annoy me."

"Trying to annoy you? You are always annoyed. And I'm neither arrogant nor awkward."

"I'm not always annoyed!"

He didn't even answer.

"Okay, maybe sometimes."

He simply smiled and brought her closer and hugged her. "I like you even when you're annoyed though."

She brought her arms around him. "You better."

The sun was setting and the mild Los Angeles cold from the oncoming winter was making both of them shiver.

Jules put his palms on her cheeks and looked into her eyes. "Are you cold?"

"Never."

He let out a short laugh. "Liar."

In her eyes he could see how intensely she was trying to make up a comeback. "You…something."

A small smile was tugging at his lips and he leaned down to kiss her. She kissed him back, tugging at his shirt to bring him closer. Right before they broke apart she shivered. "Let's just go inside", he whispered softly.

"If you insist."

At their way to the door they entwined their hands but broke apart quickly as they stepped inside.

"So this is it?" Jules asked with his eyes on her hand which he'd held only a second ago.

She tried smiling at him but failed. They both knew their relationship would be difficult. There would always be somebody they had to hide from.

"Don't say it like that, Jules. It'll only be for a few days."

"Yes, but there will be others who can't know in the future. We can never go outside together. I can never ask you out on a date."

"We'll talk about this later", she said trying to hold her voice steady.

She left him by the door. Walking back down to the rest of the household. Left alone was Jules. Before he followed her he murmured under his breath, "What if they decide there'll be no 'later' for us?"

Mark looked out through his window on the second floor. The dust was gathering on the windowsill but he didn't mind it. He would just look out through the window ignoring it. The view from there was something he had missed for what felt for him like decades but in reality were five years. Still, that was so long. A store had opened a few blocks away but still in viewing distance. Five more houses had been built by the beach.

Dru had received her first rune. Jules and Emma would be done with their training soon. The twins had improved in their shadowhunter training as well. Right before Ty went to eat dinner a few minutes ago he had told his big brother what he had learned at the last training session. Not something violent, but some new runes. Mark had seen he wasn't as interested by the runes as of Mark's reaction. How he would compliment him and encourage him to keep learning.

Mark had really been gone for a long time. Even if it wasn't as long for them as it was for him it was still hard to see the difference in the family. He had never had a chance to mourn his dead father. Nobody had even told him what happened. All he knew was that the family had changed after the war. His sister wasn't even living in the same continent. He knew she had been forced and he also knew he would most likely be made to move there too if the Clave found out he had escaped. The risk was that they would do something even worse but hadn't had the courage to think about that.

Because of their visit to Los Angeles he couldn't even leave the room to not mention the building. He ached for going out. Seeing the city he had missed for so long. It was dark outside. Everybody else was eating in the dining hall. Nobody would notice if he was gone. And he would only leave for a few minutes. Take a walk around the block. Maybe check out that new store.

He glanced over his shoulder before he silently opened the old window. The window creaked but he knew nobody could have heard it anyway. Once again he glanced at the door and a second later he jumped from the window to the old oak tree in the garden. The branches moved under his weight and he waited until they stilled before he took the last jump down to the ground.

His many years in training as both shadowhunter and in the Wild Hunt made him land without a sound. The walls would be harder to climb over. They were too far away to use the tree as help. He'd have to jump. Really high. He started 25 feet away and ran towards it. Before he reached it he jumped with all the power that he had. His hands reached the edge of the wall and he dragged himself up for the rest of it. With the help of another tree on the other side he got himself down too.

"Outside", he allowed himself to say quietly.

The outside hadn't noticed the change. How suddenly there was a new person in it. How he had longed for it for years.

No, the outside was like any other day. Two dog owners were talking to each other on the sideway. Some young men were passing them.

Mark stood there as if hypnotized by the normality. He started walking. Passed the dog owners. Followed the men. Maybe they were going to the store. There were four of them. One of them only wore a T-shirt. Mark's own sense for cold was different from the mundanes, but he knew it was cold enough to wear a jacket. The man was tall and walking smoothly. Mark's eyes traveled over his lean figure and stopped at his hair. Dark blue. Slightly shifting. It could be from the light from the lamp posts falling in different angles, but Mark knew better. He walked faster and was soon able to reach the man, only hesitating for a second before he reached out his hand to touch his shoulder.

But before he got to the man ran. The other three men seemed as startled as Mark.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" one of the muttered.

Mark didn't hesitate for a moment this time but ran after the man. His eyes didn't leave the blue hair for a second. Suddenly the hair was turning into a purplish color. Mark's lips formed a smile.

Right before the man was to climb up a tree Mark reached him once again but this time he grasped his wrist before he tackled him to the ground. Before the man got a chance to escape Mark pinned both of his hands to the ground and straddled him.

They stared into each other's eyes. Mark would recognize those eyes anywhere. One black, one silver. After what felt like an eternity both of them broke out into laughter.

"I've missed you, Mark", the man said when they had finally calmed down.

Mark smiled and leaned closer to him. He saw the man's eyes close before he slowly closed his own and kissed him.

"Missed you too, Kieran."


	41. Chapter 41

Mark and Kieran were met by suspicious glances from the Clave when they walked into the Institute. For them Mark would be enough fey for the building. Add a, not only partly, but full faerie, that can cause some real trouble. On top of that, the Clave had not even known that Mark was in the Institute. Mark had come to the decision he did not want to hide. If they weren't ready to meet him now, then so be it. Maybe they would even send him to his sister, Helen.

Elizabeth Blackrose stepped forward and crossed her arms. Normally Mark would laugh at the way she tilted her chin up and snorted, but this time what made her do that was him and his boyfriend – or at least he had been. Instead of laughing he pushed Kieran behind him to act like some kind of human shield – even though he doubted Blackrose would attack them – and crossed his arms as well.

"Good morning, Mrs. Blackrose." He had met the dark haired woman several times before. She had visited the Los Angeles Institute when he his siblings were younger. The last time was right after his and Helen's 12th birthday. Right after they got their first runes father had told her to not come back until she could accept his children. Now when he was dead she could apparently return.

"Mark. You're back", Blackrose said. The two from the Clave accompanying her were uncertain of what to do. Arrest them? Kill them? Mark could see the insecurity in their eyes.

"Good observation."

"Aren't you going to inform your family?" She raised an eyebrow. Mark knew she was testing him. She suspected he had been hidden there ever since she got there.

"I will." Before anything else could be said, Mark grasped Kieran's hand and made their way out of there.

In their hurry they ran into Arthur and following him were Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood.

It would be an understatement if you said they were surprised. They were shocked.

"Mark!" Alec exclaimed. Magnus looked like he would have done the same, but he was startled by Alec's sudden shout. When Arthur had had time to take a step back the only emotion you could read on his face was worry. He had said Mark couldn't show outside his room. He would be banished by the Clave. Mark thought he wouldn't care a moment ago, but when he then saw Arthur's expression he couldn't help but feel worried himself.

"What are you doing here, Mark?" Arthur asked with disappointment in his voice.

"Mark is back", Alec said. "We have to tell the others."

"Alexander!" Magnus hissed.

Mark glanced at them before he answered his uncle. "I needed to get out."

Behind Arthur Magnus' and Alec's quiet conversation continued.

"What?" Alec hissed back to Magnus. Magnus only replied with an eye roll. Realization lit up in Alec's face. "They already knew."

"I hope you can take the consequences." He looked at the faerie boy beside Mark. "And who is this?"

Even though Mark hadn't let go of Kieran's hand yet he had forgotten his presence while talking to Arthur. At first he was confused, but then a smile spread on his face as he looked at Kieran.

"This is Kieran, my friend." Kieran snorted as soon as Mark said friend. "Boyfriend."

"How did you two meet?" Arthur could see the obvious signs of his faerie blood which made him certain Mark had met him during his time in the Wild Hunt, but that also meant he would be a part of group which was impossible to part from. Then again, that was what Mark had done.

Mark gave him the answer he was waiting for. "In the Wild Hunt."

"How did you leave?" This time Arthur's question was directed to Kieran.

Kieran looked hesitantly at Mark who urged him on. Mark hadn't thought of asking him yet. He had been too happy to think of those questions which could ruin everything. What if Kieran had done something unforgivable to be allowed to leave?

"My freedom had been requested", Kieran said with a steady voice. Mark had thought it would tremble. His would. Then again, this was Kieran, the boy who stood up to Gwyn ap Nudd when Mark had failed in training.

"By whom?"

"They did not tell me."

Mark was more suspicious than he'd like. He wanted to feel happy, safe for just once. Without questioning it. But he knew nobody was just set free from the Wild Hunt.

Mark entwined his fingers with Kieran's to make him feel closer. He didn't want to lose him again.

"Mark, you can go back to your room and I'll try to talk to the Clave." Before he left he added, "Unless they've set their minds already."

Alec and Magnus were still there. They had been whispering to each other about Mark's and Kieran's return. Slightly worried, slightly happy.

"Nice to have you back", Alec told Mark in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

Magnus stared at him and shook his head in disbelief. "Nice to have you back? He's been gone for five years, Alec, but yeah, nice to have him back."

Alec pouted and glared at his husband.

"Thank you, Alec", Mark said before the awkward silence could take over again. "I think Kieran and I will go to my room like Arthur said. It's probably not a good idea to be near the Clave at the moment."

They left and climbed up the stairs to the floor with Mark's room. Thankfully they did not meet anybody on their way there. Mark didn't want to introduce Kieran to anybody else before he even got say a proper hello. Almost jogging the last few feet they got to his room and Mark shut the door.

"Geez, are you in a hurry?" Kieran asked with a smirk on his face. Mark didn't say anything but brought him closer by tugging on Kieran's t-shirt and with one hand on Kieran's back and the other on the nape of his neck he closed the last few inches and kissed him. It was a kiss full of memories of the times they had been together and times that they hadn't.

Mark was the first to break apart. Kieran was about to kiss him again when Mark leaned back. Kieran's eyes showed hurt and Mark shook his head.

"Sorry, I just", he said and leaned his forehead against Kieran's. They stared into each other's eyes. So close that they couldn't miss a single emotion. The faerie's hair, this time shifting in red and purple, tickled Mark's temples. "I just want to see you."

"You can kiss with your eyes open", Kieran said without missing a beat.

Mark chuckled. His fingers were following the crook of Kieran's neck and down to his elbow. He could feel goosebumps underneath and knew Kieran wanted to kiss him again just as much as he wanted, but he couldn't enjoy it until he could truly understand that he was really there. He wasn't just another one of his nightmares where he lost him in the end.

"Let's just take it easy for a few seconds."

"Are you suggesting we're taking a break", Kieran joked.

"For five minutes, yeah", Mark laughed. Kieran took a step back and pretended to be hurt.

"I can't believe this. I knew you would do this. It's probably because of that Patrick." Kieran gestured wildly to show his fake emotions.

"Who the hell is Patrick?!"

"Don't pretend you don't know", Kieran said and pointed a finger at him.

Mark laughed again made Kieran sit down on the edge of the bed. Mark stood in front of him with his hands on Kieran's shoulders.

"Please, be quiet. You're filling those five minutes with nothing but nonsense."

Kieran shrugged. "Just showing you what will happen if you ever do break up with me."

"I wouldn't dare", Mark said with a grin and leaned in to give Kieran a quick kiss. Kieran had other ideas. Quickly he brought both of his hand behind Mark neck and made him fall onto the bed where Kieran lied. Mark supported all of his weight on his arms but they soon gave in as Kieran pulled him closer. They were still kissing, but Kieran's improvisations made Mark laugh and he broke off the kiss.

"By the angel, Kieran. I said _five minutes_, not forever", Mark said and fell over to his side so he lied next to Kieran.

Kieran gave him a sad smile. So differently from his usual happy self. His fingers followed the shape of Mark's cheekbone, nose, lips.

"Time works differently here. I haven't seen you for years while you have only started to miss me."

Mark couldn't meet his eyes. He knew how much he'd missed his family during that time. How much longer he'd had to wait than them. "I missed you ever since I left the Wild Hunt."

Kieran tilted his chin up to make him look at him again. "Still, it makes me so afraid to miss you again. To lose you for eternity when I already know what it's like to miss you for years."

"You won't lose me", Mark promised and kissed Kieran's hand which was still lingering on his chin. Kieran gave him another sad smile because both of them knew that it was nothing they could know for sure.

They lied there on their backs looking up at the ceiling with only their fingertips touching.

"What will you do now that you're free?" Mark asked quietly, hoping Kieran hadn't heard him. He didn't want to break their feeling of safety.

"I'd want to stay with you, but there's a reason my freedom was requested and whoever did will surely show themselves soon. What I will do then…I don't know. Maybe they want me to talk to somebody. Maybe they want me to fight in some battle. Maybe they want me as a Victoria's Secret model. It's about they get somebody as pretty as me." Kieran turned his head to see Mark laugh at his joke.

"That's probably it", Mark said.

"Promise you'll come watch me on the runway?"

Mark laughed again and grasped Kieran's hand. "Sure."

Their laughs were interrupted by a knock on the door. Immediately their smiles dropped and they looked sadly at each other. Without uttering a single word they both knew what it meant. End of the happy time.

Cristina was in Emma's room in the morning when Jules opened it. Without knocking. He was about to say something when he finally noticed Cristina. First he raised is eyebrows, but then smiled. It was a somewhat hurried smile and he dropped it soon.

"Uhm, hello", he said to both of them. "Arthur wants to talk to us."

"About what?" Emma asked while she turned off the laptop on which she and Cristina had been watching movies on.

Jules let out a heavy breath and rubbed his forehead. "Apparently, Mark has walked past the entire Clave along with his faerie boyfriend."

Both Emma and Cristina looked shocked at first, then changed to worried and then shocked again.

"This is not good", Emma mumbled while slowly shaking her head.

"Yeah? Because I couldn't figure that out by myself", Jules said sarcastically.

Emma frowned at him and rose from the bed along with Cristina. "No need to be rude."

Jules sighed and looked regretful, but didn't say anything.

On their way out, he grasped Emma's wrist and let Cristina walk ahead of them. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, "Sorry."

After checking the hallway she pecked his cheek quickly. "I understand you're stressed with Mark and all."

"I just don't want to lose him again. We need him here", he muttered while looking down at his feet. "But I still shouldn't have snapped at you."

"It's okay, Jules. I know we need him here, but not for the reasons that you think."

He chuckled, not like he was amused but as if couldn't believe her. "And what do I think?"

"You think you need somebody to take care of your siblings, somebody they listen to." He nodded, but Emma continued. "But that's not what we need. Because we have you. You do a just as good job as him, but in a different way. Still you can't stop comparing yourself to him."

She didn't look at his face but when Jules took her hand she knew he had found comfort in what she'd said. He let go of her as they climbed up the stairs to the attic. Cristina was waiting for them at the end.

"Hello, again", she said and turned to Arthur's door to his study. She waited for Jules to knock.

Arthur didn't open the door until at least two minutes later. They were met by a tired look on his face. He gestured for them to come in, but didn't say a word. Jules and Emma had been there several times over the year, but they always found it kind of dark and gloomy and couldn't see why Arthur insisted on having it as his study room. Emma's eyes wandered over the dusty books in the book cases and on the big table in the center of the room. Books on mythology, bestiary, runes.

"Mark!" Jules cried out and made Emma turn her head towards him. He strode over to Mark who had been standing on the other side of the room with the faerie boy. The faerie had hair in shifting colors hanging past his ears. Jules grabbed his collar and Emma was afraid he'd hit him, but he didn't. He just held him by the shirt and stared at him with such anger that not a word came out of his mouth.

Mark mumbled something Emma couldn't hear from where she stood, but whatever it was made Jules even angrier.

"Do you know how hopeless we felt when you were gone? And here you go risking it all because you're _tired of hiding_?" Jules let out a sound which was something between a laugh and a sob.

Mark pushed his brother off of him. Jules took a step back but didn't move an inch when Mark went closer and pushed him again. "You don't know how dreadful it has been to be hiding from some authorities I don't even care about", Mark growled.

Jules narrowed his eyes at him. "Don't talk to me about hiding", he hissed. "I haven't been able to do what I want to for years because of _authorities_." For a moment Emma was afraid he'd tell the whole room about their relationship. "But you don't know because you weren't here and by now I have become good at hiding."

The entire room was quiet.

When Mark finally spoke again his voice was weak. "At least you don't have to hide because of who you are and stand guilty for something you weren't a part of."

Emma understood he meant his faerie blood and the punishment he is meant to get just like his sister because of it.

Jules was breathing heavily and Emma had a hard time deciding whether it was because he was angry or just tired. "Mark", he started before he paused. "At least you know you aren't guilty. You have the chance to be free from it. I have done things nobody has found me guilty for except for me. I will always remember what I have done."

Once again the whole room went silent but this time out of a question no one dared to ask. Except for Mark.

"What is it that you have done?"

Emma stepped closer to them to act like support for Jules even though she didn't know what it was that he was indicating. When Jules heard her footsteps get closer he gestured with a simple move of his hand for her to come even closer. She went to stand behind him with a hand on his shoulder.

Jules gulped and this time he didn't look in his brother's eyes before he confessed. "Mark, I killed our father." Emma couldn't believe what he had said. She had tried for years to make him understand that he had done nothing wrong. His father was already turned. They couldn't have saved him. Jules had saved his siblings by killing creature that had taken their father's place.

Mark looked shocked. "What? No, you didn't. Clary said he was turned."

With the hand on her _parabatai_'s shoulder she spun him around to look at her. "Julian, don't say that. The one you killed was already dead. You were only protecting your family."

"I still have got to live with seeing my sword going through my father's body. To see him die in person with his 12-year-old son on the other side of the weapon. I have to live with nobody seeing how twisted it is that nobody believes it's my fault my father died while my older brother and sister are punished for something they never were a part of."

"Jules, Emma is right", Mark said, calmer this time. "You didn't kill him and nobody thinks it's your fault because it isn't."

"You're wrong. Somebody do think it's my fault", Jules muttered while looking down at the wooden floor. "Ty hasn't forgiven me. I still have to hide this part of me that finds myself guilty all while I have a brother who shares that part."

"Ty has forgiven you", Mark said. "But just like you, it's hard for him to forget what happened. He also lives with that scene etched into his mind. But he has told me everything that has happened while I was gone and when he talks about you he never seems to think badly of _you_."

Everybody in the room looked at Jules, waiting for his answer.

"Sorry I yelled at you, Mark", he finally said.

"I'm sorry I didn't think it through before I showed myself for the Clave", Mark replied.

You could hear the whole room breathe out after the exchange.

Arthur walked around his desk and sat down in his chair. "Now, can we talk about what we came here for?"

Mark and Jules nodded. Jules went with Emma and Cristina to stand by the bookcases while Mark went to the faerie.

"I suppose Jules told you what has happened?" Arthur said but didn't wait for Cristina and Emma to reply. "I think it will possible to keep Mark. He'll possibly join Helen on Wrangel Island, but at least he will come back here one day. Kieran on the other hand." Arthur looked at boy standing by Mark's side with hair shifting in green and yellow. "I'm sorry, but I honestly don't know what we can do about you. But I think they want to talk to you", he added and pointed the three shadowhunters standing by the bookcases.

"Me?" Kieran spoke up for the first time.

"You are Kieran?" Emma asked surprised.

Kieran nodded dumbfounded. "Are you the one who wanted me free?"

"We need you to talk to somebody", Jules explained.

All six of them went to the room of the girl. When Emma knocked on the door Diana opened. She looked at everybody in the group and stopped at the sight of Kieran. She raised her eyebrows surprised and looked a bit skeptical.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"The girl asked for him", Emma answered.

"So you're Kieran?"

"That'd be me, yes", Kieran said uncomfortably. Mark held his hand supportively.

Diana moved away from the doorway to let them in. As soon as Kieran had entered the room the girl's eyes shot up and found his. She rose from the armchair she'd been sitting in and ran to him.

"Kieran!" she cried out as she threw her arms around him. Kieran looked taken aback before he could see who had run to him. As soon as he saw who had her arms around him his lips spread into a smile and he laughed. He hugged her back and lifted her off her feet. Her blonde hair covered his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Kieran asked.

"I was going to help them, but I needed you first", she explained. "I've missed you."

"Missed you too, but I'm here now."

"How do you two know each other?" Mark asked from behind Kieran. Emma could see he was jealous. Mark and Kieran got to know each other in the Wild Hunt. There they didn't learn about their lives outside.

Kieran put down the girl and turned to Mark. "This is my sister."


End file.
